By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — Saturday was not a safe day to be a lobster at Compo Beach.

The tasty crustaceans were steamed by the bagful for 1,500 adults who bought tickets to Westport Rotary’s 11^th  “Lobsterfest.”

The event, the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, typically serves up 2,400 lobsters, 300 steaks and 1,600 ears of corn.

There were steaks for those not fans of fishy fare, and children’s meals. A couple hundred children’s tickets were purchased, said Alex Cohen, an event co-chair.

Also offered were freshly shucked oysters and clams, shrimp, corn on the cob and more.

The scents of all that wafted around Compo by way of steam and smoke.

Tickets were sold rain-or-shine, but Mother Nature was kind. Sunny skies, not too hot or humid, and plenty of beer.

“Everybody’s having a great time,” Cohen said. “I see a lot of smiles.”

“A lot of people say they’ll be back next year,” he said.

Hundreds of volunteers in yellow Lobsterfest T-shirts helped at the event, which was sold out.

Learn more about the Westport Rotary Club here.

Thane Grauel, executive editor, grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond more than three decades. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.