By Charles M. Kelly
Last weekend’s Seal Beach Lions Club Community Fish Fry was attended by approximately 3,000 people, according to local Lion John Schroeder. (The same attendance number was reported in 2022 by then-Lions President Scott Weir.)
The 79th annual Fish Fry raised an estimated $75,000, according to Schroeder. The amount includes money from the car raffle. Proceeds go to fund Lions Club service projects.
Speaking of the raffle: Harry Narhabedian of New Jersey won the car; John Scharler of Nevada won the motor bike and Nancy Ramos of Seal Beach won the $1,000 Amazon gift certificate.
The Lions served 4,000 dinners and sold 1,700 hot dogs and bratwursts.
“Officially, it’s called the Seal Beach Lions Club Community Fish Fry. It is better known to Seal Beach locals simply as ‘Fish Fry’,” wrote Schroeder in a Monday, July 17 email.
“Lions Fish Fry is the longest running event in Seal Beach having run continuously for 79 years,” Schroeder wrote.
For example, the 76th Fish Fry was held in the face of COVID-19 restrictions. Rather than close off Eisenhower Park, as the Lions did before and after the pandemic, the Seal Beach Lions club encouraged Fresh Fry participants to buy to-go meals from local restaurants and then sit at tables the Lions had set up by the pier.
“What started originally as a replication of a Midwest tradition has grown into one of our towns most popular summer events.
“What makes this event unique is that it truly draws the community together. People don’t come ‘to’ Seal Beach for this event; but rather, they come ‘from’ all parts of the city for a great weekend gathering. For the past 13 years the co-chairs have been Scott Newton and Mike Haley,” Schroeder wrote.
The two-day Fish Fry featured live music, spontaneous dancing by guests, a beer garden, a VIP section for select members of the community, and of course food. French fries were served alongside both breaded fish and hot dogs and brats. (No figures were given for the fries.)
