One of the South Coast's longest-running winter events, the Charleston Merchants Association's annual crab feed, will be held for the 20th year from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, at the former Charleston Elementary School, 64065 Seven Devils Road.

The roots of the crab feed lie in the regional tradition of celebrating the peak of the Dungeness crab season, according to Martin Callery, marketing and communications director for the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay.

"It started as a community celebration to cap a successful crab season," he said Friday. "Crabbing took place most (frequently) in December and January; February was the end of the season and everyone wanted to celebrate."

Visitors at the crab feed can select a whole- or half-crab dinner, with prices set by the market price of crab. Staff from the High Tide Cafe & Espresso Bar also will be present at the meal and sell clam chowder for $2 per serving.

During the dinner, organizers will hold drawings for prizes and gift certificates donated by Bay Area businesses, according to Mel Campbell, a Merchants Association member. The Coos Head Garden Club also will hold a bake sale at the event.

Proceeds from the meal, drawings and bake sale will benefit the Charleston Visitors Center - as well as the crab fishermen who supply food for the event, according to Don Yost, president of the CMA.

As in previous years, the Wild Women of Charleston will entertain guests at the feed. Drawn from Merchants Association members and community volunteers, the ensemble has staged such diversions as clam-squirting contests, rain-slicker and rubber-boot fashion shows, and "unbeauty contests" to honor the homeliest person in town.

"The crab feed is a fund-raiser for our association, which supports the Charleston Visitors Center, and the community supports the crab fishermen by paying market price for all the crab we serve," Yost said in a press release.

Over two decades, the crab feed has evolved into an attraction for tourists well beyond Coos County, he added.

"We get phone calls, e-mails and postcards from Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and even folks from Northern California," he said. "They want to come to the crab feed because it's always fun and it's a good winter break."

According to Callery, the feed's benefits to tourism often stretch well beyond the winter, as tourists arriving in Charleston for the event often discover the South Coast's other attractions.

"It kicks off what they do for the rest of the year," he said. "They come for the crab feed and a lot of them head back for the fishing in late spring and early summer, then (return) in July and August during their vacation time for the seafood festival, the Blackberry Arts Festival, the Fun Festival.

"... With the dunes and Shore Acres, there's a great diversity of entertainment and this is a good way to start the year out."

For more information, those interested can call Yost at 888-2548.

- Howard Yune, staff writer