In Port Royal, time to get crabby

As the owner of popular Port Royal gathering place the Old Town Coffeehaus, Chris Rentz knows how important a unified community is. She witnessed this firsthand when she attended her first Soft Shell Crab Fest in Port Royal last year.

"It just seems like a lot of good things happen when people gather together for festivals," said Rentz. "It tends to bring unity in the community. I think it's important people see that you're trying to put something back into your community."

Since 2004, the Port Royal Old Village Association has hosted the Soft Shell Crab Fest, a street festival honoring the local delicacy that features arts and crafts, refreshments, music, a classic car show and, of course, soft shell crabs.

"People tell me the (local soft shell crabs) are the best they've ever had, and certainly the best on the East Coast," said Joe Lee, a former chairman of the Old Village Association. "These are fresh. It's hard to go anyplace and get fresh, soft shell crab. I think that adds a lot to it, and these people are experts at cooking them any way you want them cooked."

Although Lee said that some folks enjoy soft shell crabs by adding shrimp or seafood chowder, most people "just eat it deep fried."

This Saturday will be the fifth anniversary of the festival, which is always held the third or fourth week of April.

Lee, a former festival manager who's helping to plan this year's gala, explained that the festival has to be timed during the molting season of the crab. Molting is when a crab sheds its shell, and it is replaced with a soft covering, which eventually hardens. Typically, crabs must be eaten within four days of molting to be considered quality, soft shell crabs.

Sitting inside the Old Towne Coffeehaus on Paris Avenue, Lee enjoyed a hot cup of coffee on a recent, unusually cold afternoon. He said that the festival has gotten bigger each year, and that there are typically three or four groups of people that attend.

"One, of course, are the residents of Port Royal," said Lee. "The other group is from driving distances, Beaufort or northern Beaufort County or Sun City. For the people on Hilton Head who don't want to participate in the Heritage golf tournament, which is going on at the same time, it's a chance for them to get away and come over and have some fun.

"We also enjoy hosting (parents of Marine Corps graduates), because there's a graduation on Friday, and we encourage the families to stay over and go to the festival, and quite a few of them have in the past."

Lee said that the festival also attracts a large number of former Port Royal residents who come back to visit and are amazed by the town's transformation over the years. The festival is being promoted throughout the Lowcountry and other parts of the South, and Lee said that the festival has been fortunate to play host to a diverse range of people.

The festival was the brainchild of William Gay, who owns Port Royal Seafood.

"He had an idea to celebrate the soft shell crab, because it's a local delicacy and everybody enjoys it," Lee explained. "So we put together the festival."

While Lee said that the festival will offer entertainment for the entire family to enjoy, he added that Port Royal Elementary School is having a spring fair the same day, so children have a chance to enjoy that as well.

Festival performers will include Dean St. Hillaire and Craig Washington performing island music and reggae, the Beaufort Shag Club, and Virginia Beach-based headliners the Showmen, whose original hits include "Let It Stand," "Sweet Beach Music" and "Shaggin' the Night Away."

"We've never really done anything like this before," said Lee. "We've usually just had local musicians. This should be a great show."

Rentz, along with her husband Leland, has owned the Old Towne Coffeehaus since November 2006. She is also the secretary for the Port Royal Old Village Association, founded in 2003. The Coffeehaus will serve as a headquarters for festival staffers during the event. It's an ideal location, because the stage will be located right next to the shop.

"She's been pulling all the stuff together," Lee said of Rentz. He added that festival organizers "intentionally keep the stage low to the street so people can enjoy the music but also dance."

Rentz confessed that she doesn't really eat seafood, but the positive effect that festivals have on the community, including Port Royal's annual Oktoberfest in the fall, is immeasurable.

Attending the festival is free, but proceeds from the purchase of $1 dollar drink and food tickets will benefit the Lowcountry Estuarium in Port Royal. A donation will also be made to the Historic Port Royal Foundation. According to Lee, soft drinks are one ticket, beer and wine are three tickets, and food ranges from three to six tickets "depending on what you want, so it's all very reasonable."

Lee added that part of the reason they are donating proceeds to the Estuarium is to honor Bob Bender, the Estuarium's curator and founder of the Old Village Association.

"We're giving back to Bob, and giving him the recognition that he's earned over the years," said Lee.

Local restaurants taking part in the festival include Bateaux, Panini's, Nippy's Fish, Barbara Jean's, Sea Eagle Market and Port Royal Seafood. For people like Rentz who may not be crazy about seafood, Lee said the AMVETS will be serving hot dogs and non-seafood fare.

"We feel that the (festival) is the ultimate in family entertainment, and it's fun," said Lee. "There's a lady out of Charleston who comes and does smoothies with real fruit, and that's always a big attraction. Another lady does fresh-squeezed lemonade.

"It's the little things that everybody has really gotten to enjoy. It's amazing how many people come back each year."