Upcoming May oyster roast will benefit the Frisco-Buxton Pathway

The community is invited to an oyster roast on Saturday, May 13, at the Frisco Woods Campground, with all-you-can-eat oysters, barbecue, a beer truck, bounce house, and live music, which will all combine to raise funds for a local cause.

The May oyster roast is the latest in a series of fundraisers organized by the Frisco-Buxton Pathway Committee to raise awareness and a goal of $95,000 in donations for a new multi-use pathway in the villages of Frisco and Buxton.

The pathway project is spearheaded by the Frisco-Buxton Pathway Committee and the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway Committee for Dare County, which helped create similar pathways in the island’s five other villages: Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, and Hatteras.

The Frisco-Buxton pathway project has been in the works for years, but it gained momentum in 2022, thanks to the introduction of a new potential grant from the National Scenic Byway program.

The National Scenic Byway grant for the Frisco-Buxton pathway would fund the bulk of the first two phases of the project, for a total cost of roughly $2.48 million. This would cover a 4.41-mile stretch of roadway from the Cape Hatters Secondary School in Buxton to Piney Ridge Road in Frisco, and if awarded, the National Scenic Byway grant program would provide 80% of the funding for the project but would also require 20% in matching funds.

The Dare County Tourism Board is expected to provide roughly $400,000 of this remaining 20%, but that still leaves more than $83,800 to complete the project funding, (which doesn’t include extra funds for the future maintenance of the pathway.)

“The [$95,000] is the amount that we will need to satisfy a requirement for the grant,” said Stacey Saunders of the committee in an earlier interview. “Should we raise more than that, there are two things to keep in mind: First, this is only for phase one of the project, and second, we still have to pay to maintain these sidewalks when we’re done.”

May’s upcoming oyster roast will feature at least five bushels of oysters from Ocracoke Mariculture, with varying stations set up for attendees to choose raw oysters, cook-your-own oysters, and steamed oysters. There will also be barbecue provided by Tavern on 12, as well as an on-site beer truck, and entertainment for kids and adults alike.

Tickets are $40 for the all-you-can-eat roast in advance, and $45 on the day of the event. Tickets are on sale prior to the May 13 oyster roast at Frisco Woods Campground via phone or in person.

In the meantime, and for folks who are unable to attend, donations towards the pathway are always gratefully accepted and can be mailed to: Frisco Woods Campground, C/O Frisco Buxton Pathways, PO Box 100, Frisco, NC 27936.

For more information on fundraising events, and to keep tabs on progress as the Frisco-Buxton Pathway Committee inches closer towards their $95,000 goal, visit their Facebook page.