Ox Versus Crab

It may be the Year of the Ox, but in Castro Valley it's the Season of the Crab.

Three posters were spotted in the window of the Village Barbershop today for crab feeds put on by the Soroptimists, Transfiguration Church, and Redwood Christian Schools. And several others are slated over the next few weeks.

Your Boulevardier has only attended a couple of crab feeds. They were rather hard-core affairs, with long lines and sticky hands and lots of red wine and some diners bringing their own butter melting contraptions. Not Your Boulevardier's style of dining.

One wonders about the history of crab feeds as a fundraiser. (Some information about logistics can be found at the website for Pacific Seafood Group.) Any ideas?