This year's Dungeness crab harvest may have been delayed by a little oil, but that doesn't mean the local delicacy shouldn't be celebrated in style. And who better to honor those hard-shelled treats than the hard-helmeted men of the 49ers? Members of the team will be on hand with local chefs this Saturday, March 1st, for the 6th Annual Celebrity Crab Festival at Union Square.
Starting at noon, the football players, cheerleaders and chefs will be demonstrating the art and intricacies of crab cracking, followed by a timed cracking-and-cleaning contest. Chefs participating include Mike Koenig (Scala's Bistro), Robert Helstrom (Kuleto's), Robert Petzold (Ponzu), Richard Slusarz (Grandviews), Mauro Pando (Grand Café) and more.
Of course, you will be able to eat some of the delicious Dungeness crabs too. Though the festival is free to the public, $5 tickets will be available for those interested in sampling fare from local restaurants, as well as many varieties of wine and beer. Family entertainment including a children's booth and raffles will also be on hand. All proceeds will go to the San Francisco 49ers Foundation. And a bonus for environmentally-aware folk: The entire event is hoping to be "zero waste," with all plates, cups and paraphenalia biodegradable (12–3 PM; Union Square; for more info call 415-781-7880 or visit www.unionsquaresf.net).