A New Hampshire man won the Maine Oyster Shucking Contest Sept. 25 during the annual Pemaquid Oyster Festival in Damariscotta. Chris Buxton of Portsmouth, New Hampshire shucked a dozen oysters in one minute, thirteen seconds. Buxton edged Mine Oyster owner Ralph Smith of Boothbay Harbor who also shucked a dozen oysters in an identical time, but Buxton won the competition based on his presentation.

“The competition is based on both time and presentation. The judges like to see a lot of liquor and not have a lot of broken pieces in the shells. So that’s why Chris Buxton won,” said festival spokesman Greg Latimer.

This was the 16th festival, which features oysters served in a variety of tempting choices: fresh on the half shell, broiled, stewed, and baked as Oysters Rockefeller. This year, gestival volunteers shucked 15,700 oysters, according to organizers.

The festival began in 2001 to highlight the local working waterfront. The one-day event began at noon and ended at dusk. In between, the day was filled with food, musical entertainment and educational opportunities.

This was the first time Frances LeMieux, 70, of Topsham attended. She ate oysters for the first time at age 45 and has wanted to attend the festival ever since it began. She remembers the first time she ate an oyster Her father was reluctant to serve his daughter oysters because her mother didn’t care for them.

“I asked my father why did you hide them from me forever, and I told him that doesn’t mean I won’t like them,” she recalled.

Family commitments prevented Lemieux from attending the festival in recent years.

“All my kids are grown and my husband and me are free to enjoy the festival. It’s a lot of great food and music and we’re both enjoying ourselves,” she said.

In the past 16 years, the festival has issued over $125,000 in grants. This year, nine recipients garnered $12,000 in awards. The nine are: Damariscotta River Association, Pemaquid  Watershed Association, OceansWide, Darling Marine Center, South Bristol School, Lincoln Academy, Great Salt Bay Community School, The Watershed School and Carpenter’s Boat Shop.

Festival admission is free. Organizers request a donation and money raised through food and beverage sales are donated. This year, the donations were awarded to the Edward A. Myers Conservation Fund. Myers pioneered aquaculture research in the Damariscotta River. Festival expenses are covered by sponsors so all money raised goes to the fund.

The festival is held each year on the last Sunday of September.