Crisfield Kicks Off 79th Annual Hard Crab Derby Weekend
Crisfield, Md. — The City of Crisfield kicked off the 79th Annual Hard Crab Derby Weekend Friday morning with a crab cooking contest, bringing people from around the state together in the spirt of friendly competition, with some cash on the line.
The Hard Crab Derby weekend is the biggest event of the year in Crisfield, with visitors coming from around the country to attend some of the planned festivities. The iconic Governor’s Cup Crab Race is scheduled to take place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. along with a plethora of other activities including multiple concerts, water sports, carnivals, and a parade.
Crabs representing all 50 states will participate in the event, including Maryland’s own “No More Mr. Nice Claw.”
The crab cooking contest gave competitors an hour to whip up a crab-infused dish for a panel of four judges. The dishes were submitted into categories: appetizer, main dish, crab cakes, soup/salad, and best presentation. Winners were eligible to receive up to $100, with an additional $100 given for the grand prize.
The contest has previously had competitors of all ages coming from multiple states and counties coming to show off their chops.
This year, 13-year-old cook Raymond Lord got the chance to compete against adults who have been cooking longer than he’s been alive. He’s been competing in the annual crab cooking event since he was 10.
“I just like being the only kid doing it. It’s really cool. I like winning against adults that do it a lot,” Lord said.
Amy and Leon Fossett have turned the event into a family tradition, making the 2 1/2-hour drive almost every year since 2017. The pair said they’ve made friends with their fellow competitors, and every year feels like a family reunion.
“It’s just great people and we like seeing competitors year after year. So, we come pretty good friends with some of them,” Leon Fossett said. “It’s become a tradition, something we look forward to every year we actually schedule vacation stuff around it so we don’t miss it.”
The tradition is something unique to Maryland and has deep ties to Crisfield culture. Longtime crab cook judge Jim Washington said the event is always fun and the judges sometimes leave a little stuffed after testing all the food. He added that this event is something special about Maryland.
“Everybody loves crab. There aren’t too many people that just don’t eat crab. And so finding new ways to make it mainstream or make it special, it’s just a Maryland thing,” Washington said.
More information about the festivities can be found on the Crisfield Chamber of Commerce website.
