3rd Annual Sardine Festival Resounding Success

by Frank Dawson, Contributing Editor, Frank's NowPublic page
(Steveston, BC Canada)

Saturday saw the 3rd Annual Sardine Festival roll into town, held at Fisherman’s Park. A large crowd turned out to enjoy grilled sardines and cooking demonstrations hosted by Kosta Zogaris.

Zogaris' cooking demonstrations featured James Barber, TV's The Urban Peasant and cookbook author. Frank Pabst, Executive Chef of the Blue Water Cafe and Steven Wong, cookbook author and journalist also demonstrated their sardine recipes to the receptive crowd.

There were free recipes and product sampling throughout, as well as kids activities and live entertainment. The fun new addition this year was an Immersion Suit contest to see who was the fastest among local fishers to don the suit in front of a cheering crowd. The winner clocked in at an astounding 18 seconds, but the competition was stiff.

There were special sardine menus at Pajo’s and the Buck 'n' Ear Bar and Grill. One of the booths featured a classic smokehouse. The Buck 'n' Ear featured a sardine salad.

Fresh sardines were for sale at 10 for five dollars with a long lineup to buy them. Steveston's lone sardine fisher, Glenn Budden, was in town with his fishing boat, Ocean Venture and a hold full of sardines offering off-boat sales at Fisherman's Wharf.