Unlike some other events across the country and state that were canceled because of coronavirus concerns, Coupeville’s annual Musselfest drew a fairly healthy sized crowd this past weekend.

The line to buy tickets for the chowder competition stretched about a block from the Coupeville Recreation Hall to Grace Street. Meanwhile, the dulcet singing of the Shifty Sailors filled the cold morning air on Saturday.

Vickie Chambers, executive director of the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association, estimated that attendance dropped by about 25 percent. She told potential attendees to stay home if they had any hesitation about coming to the event because of concerns about the virus.

Despite the drop in numbers, Chambers said “the ticket sales were as strong as ever.”

“I think part of the reason it went so well is because it was an open-air event,” Chambers said, adding that many attendees told her that the event wasn’t overcrowded.

John Opheim of Oak Harbor said he was counting on the coronavirus worries in Seattle to keep the event from being overcrowded.

“I was kind of hoping their paranoia would keep them from coming,” Opheim said.

Still, people from across the world participated in the mussel-eating contest.

At 3 p.m. Saturday, an animated crowd cheered as more than two dozen mussel lovers competed for the title of champion.

The mussel munchers came from as far west as Hawaii and as far north as Canada.

Past mussel-eating champion Matt Dunk, of British Columbia, Canada, used his two-hands-and-don’t-stop-chewing technique to secure his third victory in five years.

“I just love mussels,” Dunk said. The Musselfest falls near his birthday so every year he and his family drive down to partake in the festivities.

Of the 16 restaurants competing in the mussel chowder competition, Currents Bistro won first place with its red pepper sundried tomato chowder created by executive chef Jayson Ringlein.

Captain Whidbey Inn came in second in the competition, the Front Street Grill placed third, and Tyee Restaurant and Motel came in fourth.

Photo by Brandon Taylor/Whidbey News-Times Matt Dunk from Canada is crowned the the mussel-eating champion at Saturday’s contest.

Photo by Brandon Taylor/Whidbey News-Times Denny DeWispelaere from Oak Harbor receives a tasting of Freeland Caffe’s Manhattan style chowder from Jill Bassett and Miranda Baugh.