Claw Down is a collaborative effort where our hard working competing chefs, their talented staff, restaurant and hotel owners, Chamber staff work and soard members work hard to showcase the finest culinary talent our region has to offer. To every general manager and restaurant owner who believed in the culinary talents of your chef and in the multi-faceted mission of Claw Down, the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce is indebted to each one of you.

The Chamber would like to especially thank:

Boothbay Harbor Country Club - Chef Ed Yarmosh; Boothbay Harbor Inn – Chef Timmothy Murray; Herringbone’s Pub & Grill – Chef Michael Morissette; Lobsterman’s Wharf – Chef Zach Miller; Mine Oyster – Chef Ralph Smith; Oliver’s at Cozy Harbor Wharf - Chef John Reed; Ports of Italy – Chef Brittney Meservier; Spruce Point Inn Resort & Spa - Chef Timothy Fain &Sous Chef Justin Doyle; The Boathouse Bistro & Tapas Bar - Chef Karin Guerin; The Carriage House Restaurant – Chef Kelly Patrick Farrin; The Rocktide Inn & Restaurant - Chef Delroy “Dice” Bennett; Topside Inn – The Inn on the Hill - Chef Mark Osborn.

To our Claw Down Emcee, Kerry Altiero from Café Miranda, and three judges: Matthew Ginn, Malcolm Bedell and Pamela Laskey, thank you to each of you for taking the time to attend Claw Down despite your respective hectic schedules and sharing your culinary expertise at the judges’ table.

We’ve said this before: It takes a village to put on Claw Down, but it also took the passion of one dedicated volunteer who has lead the Goliath effort five years in a row. A very special thank you to our Volunteer of Year, Kris Ward of Boothbay. Kris is a shining star who knows how to work alongside the strongest volunteers to put on a great event! Her time and efforts at every single Chamber event in the last five years have been exemplary and unprecedented. Kris you have always gone above and beyond and for the gift of your time and talents, this Chamber is forever grateful.

To famed food photographer Ted Axelrod, Ted Axelrod Photography and PR guru, Angie Helton, Northeast Media Associates thank you for volunteering your incredible talents and creative prowess to make Claw Down what it is today: a sold out one-of-a-kind lobster event in the State of Maine.

Special thanks to the entire Boothbay Region Greenhouses team led by Bobby Boyd and Marinel Barter for the spectacular and beautiful transformation of the boatyard!

To the Ocean Point Marina team led by Dan and Eileen Miller, thank you for transporting every single vessel in that boatyard to the parameters of the property and pressure washing every square inch of the space to make for a wonderful event experience for our guests from over 17 states! No request was ever an imposition.

For three consecutive days, Kris Ward, Pamela Lauzau O’ Connor and Karen Baush worked tirelessly to make sure every detail of the set up was covered.

To BRCTV team Jonne Trees, Ryan Leighton and Cody Mitchell, thank you all for the fantastic coverage of the chef’s presentations and the entire event.

To Liz Evans of the East Boothbay General Store and Kim & Denise of Eventide for creating such a delectable array of delicious desserts for our guests to nibble on after tasting all those yummy lobster bites!

To Ralph Smith and Mine Oyster for setting up and operating two bars in the venue, no easy task quenching the thirst of 450 plus lobster fans!

Thank you Seacoast Coffee for adding the warmth to a crisp fall evening with the freshest brewed coffee!

To Michelle Brown, Brown’s Wharf Inn, for hand washing every single Claw Down wine glass with the utmost care for three years in a row. We can’t even begin to thank you enough.

To Sam Michael, Sam’s Electric, for ensuring our chefs were in a good place with their power needs at all times. Your attention to the nano-details made for a seamless event three years in a row.

Thank you to Ben Rankins and the Boothbay Harbor Embroidery team for delivering our branded Claw Down aprons, hats and chef’s winning jackets prior to deadline! Our chefs look forward to receiving them every year!

The Chamber also would like to thank Luise Lichtenberg, visitors & members services coordinator, Jan Wooler and Linda Demers for covering the registration desk with staff Administrative Coordinator Roseanne Taylor. Special thanks to Elise Andersen for manning our retail table and for donating two beautiful pieces of Andersen stoneware for our raffle.

Evelyn Andrews and Pamela Lauzau O’Connor who ran every single lobster creation back to the judges with poise and grace, we thank you both. Evelyn Andrews, thank you again for spearheading all the donations of ice from Hannaford five years in a row.

We are indebted to Guy Peaslee, Gary Wooler and Steve Butler for consistently manning every inch of an enormous boatyard for disposal detail; re-fill on water supplies, and any incidents of spills or messes to make for a seamless event and a spotless post-event clean up. This was a beast of a job muscling through a packed boatyard. This Chamber thanks you all so much for your dedication and attention to every detail.

Many thanks Lions Club members Ken Fitch, John Perrault, Lynn Perrault, Paul Greenleaf, Wendy Greenleaf, Tom Nickerson, Don Soler and Brian McGrath who helped with parking.

To Linda Demers and Jan Wooler for being so watchful of our chefs’ every need: bottles of water, refill on supplies, a kind “How are you doing chef?” through the entire night and for post-event clean up, thank you!

Our Claw Down judges had a tough task: trying 12 lobster creations in fewer than 2 hours and scoring each one to select the overall best Judges’ Lobster bite. Chamber Board President Lorna Weber and Valerie Young we thank you both for taking time out of your work schedules to meet with our judges, showering them with hospitality and taking ownership of the single most important element that lends to the credibility of Claw Down: keeping track of every single lobster creation’s score.

To board members Michael Maxim and Jessica Tindal, you both were amazing! Thank you for all your help with tickets, table signs, power point, and being our stage hosts. Thanks to board members, Ben Teel, Ben Rankin and Alan Baldwin for hosting and clean up! To Kevin Burnham and Art Mayers of the Boothbay Register and Charlie and Linda of the Crier - thank you for your collaborative media coverage on Claw Down.

To Irene Gerny and Ann Cataldo for helping answer phones, help visitors and prepare for Claw Down. And a special thank you to Sharon Goldhirsch for so beautifully folding and organizing all our T-shirts!

Thank you to Cherie Scott, former Chamber event coordinator, for your gracious and generous guidance in helping the new Chamber staff work through the myriad of details of Claw Down.

Proceeds from the event help to underwrite the cost of Claw Down including a stipend and two tickets to each participating restaurant to help cover the cost of lobster, attend the event and help the chamber in its efforts to bolster local businesses; serve as guardians of the region’s economic well-being; advocate on behalf of area businesses; and promote avenues of tourism for the communities of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, East Boothbay, Edgecomb, Monhegan Island, Newcastle, Southport, Westport, Wiscasset and Woolwich.

The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce would like to thank presenting sponsors: Boothbay Region Greenhouses, Ocean Point Marina, BDN Maine, Central Distributors, Marshall Tent and Event Rental, MAINE Magazine and The Brand Company.  In addition, The Chamber would like to thank the following sponsors for their contributions to Claw Down. They are Northeast Media Associates, First National Bank/First Advisors, Sweet Bay, Mine Oyster, Atlantic Edge Lobster, The Inns at Greenleaf Inn, Ted Axelrod Photography, Café Miranda, Five Gables Inn, Seacoast Coffee, East Boothbay General Store, Eventide, Tindal and Callahan Real Estate, Hodgdon Yacht Services, Services, Harvest on the Harbor, Country Coach Charters, Boothbay Harbor Embroidery, Hannaford’s, Lincoln Arts, Festival, Andersen Design, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens/Gardens Aglow, Blaise Botti Photography, Daffy Taffy Factory, Coastal Car Wash, T & D Variety, Giles Rubbish, Edgecomb Potters, Balmy Days Cruises, The YMCA, Key Bank, H.T. Winters Company, Silver Lining, Maine Bracelet Company, Head of the Harbor Gallery, BRCTV, and Atlantic Ark Inn.

Mark your calendar for the 6th Annual Claw Down Lobster Bite Competition on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Claw Down lives on!