The Community Crab Feed is back and for the first time ever, open to the public.

The event is at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Elks Lodge in Oak Harbor. Hosted by the Oak Harbor Lions Club, the crab feed has not happened since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is the first time we’ve had it open to the entire community,” said Oak Harbor Lions Club President Bobbi Lorson. “In the past, it’s been open to Lions and guests, so there’ve been a lot of community members but we wanted to include the entire community.”

Lornson has been a Lion since 2015 and the crab feed had been happening annually for several years before that. She said the event always has “a lot of good camaraderie.”

On the menu, there is a ham alternative for people who don’t like crab or can’t eat shellfish, along with side dishes. There will be a no host bar, a silent auction and raffle prizes.

Tickets sales close Feb. 2 so the Lions Club can place the order for the crab, which is sourced from Northwest Washington. Tickets are available at ohlions.org.

All profits from the event will go back into the community, Lorson said. The Oak Harbor Lions Club gives back by providing glasses and hearing aids, loaning out medical equipment free of charge, building ramps for wheelchairs and conducting vision screenings in area schools.

Lorson said the event will be fun for people of all ages. Oak Harbor Lions Club members range from 30-years-old to 91 and anyone is welcome to attend.