Lobster Festival Caps off Summer of Fun

This article was reported and written by contributor Eric Czuleger.

With summer drawing to a close, there was just enough time for one last beach party. At Seaside Lagoon, the annual Redondo Beach Lobster Festival concluded Sunday with a twilight performance by the rock group The Fixx.

During the lobster festival, which was put on by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and the city of Redondo Beach, local businesses and restaurants promoted their fares, while bands like Too Rude and The Fixx performed on the open-air stage.

Of course, the whole Maine lobster was the main event during the three days of the festival.

The lobster was boiled fresh and served whole with butter to voracious patrons. There was even a full service cracking and shucking booth for those who didn’t feel like getting their hands dirty. Fortunetellers, paddleboats, and the smell of kettle corn made for a family friendly atmosphere.

The entire festival was a family affair, right down to the kitchen staff. Lobster cracker Lucia Martin brought her entire family along to serve as a full-service kitchen staff for the event.

“(The organizers) thought that the whole thing should be family oriented, so it made sense to hire a family to staff the kitchen,” said Martin, while cracking into the claws of a freshly boiled lobster.  

On Sunday night, the smiling, sunburned faces of attendees listening to the last couple of songs by The Fixx were testament to the success of this year's festival.

“It’s been great that the community and local businesses have been so supportive," said Heidi Butzine, a festival volunteer and member of the Chamber of Commerce. "I think this weekend has been a big success.”