Lauderdale Street was bustling with activity Thursday night as people from all across the Selma-Dallas County area headed to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to partake in Lobsterfest, the church’s annual fundraiser to benefit Little Friends School.
The money raised from the event is used for classroom supplies and anything else the preschoolers might need throughout the year.
Lobsterfest Co-Chairman Barbara Leet says the annual tradition brings in between $5,000 to $6,000 dollars each year for the school.
While the preschool is the beneficiary of the evening’s festivities, Leet says the main purpose of the event is to bring the community together.
“It’s mostly to bring everyone together,” she said. “We would love for the entire city to be involved.”
Leet said that a lot of hard work from the people of St. Paul’s goes into pulling off a successful event each year – the Lobsterfest committee began setting up for the event on Monday, three days before the festivities took place.
On Thursday night, the teamwork it takes to pull off a successful Lobsterfest was on full display – there was a team submerging the crustaceans into vats of boiling water outside, people serving drinks as guests entered the church downstairs, hosts seating guests as they went upstairs and a full wait staff serving plates of salad, potatoes and, naturally, Maine lobster.
“It’s hard work but everyone works well together,” said Leet. “We all enjoy it.”
Leet estimates Lobsterfest has been going on for 15 years.
“It’s working well, “ she said. “We hope it continues.”