Oil spill or no oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Suffolk Ruritan Club will get its 3,000-plus pounds of non-oiled shrimp for this year’s Shrimp Feast.

To take part of the all-you-can-eat 33rd annual feast on Oct. 7 at the Peanut Festival site, with entertainment by Atlanta Rhythm Section and Island Boy, tickets can be purchased for $30. Organizers are urging people to buy early.

“Everything is going great. Tickets are on sale and we have the bands scheduled,” the chairman of the Shrimp Feast Bob Price said. “We do hope people will buy early though. Everything we make goes back into the community. It’s hard for us to gauge how much food we need without going over or under when people don’t buy tickets until the last few days. That ultimately comes out of our bottom line and directly effects our ability to give back to the community.”

This year’s menu will include all-you-can-eat array of steamed shrimp, fried chicken, North Carolina pork barbecue, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw rolls, iced tea and beer.

“We got a little bit nervous after the oil spill, but it actually may be helping us,” Price said. “For the last few years, we’ve bought the shrimp from Ecuador, but this year the price of foreign shrimp is going up and local shrimp is going down. North Carolina shrimp are looking very appealing at this point.”

Last year, 3,000 pounds of shrimp were used to feed the nearly 3,000 people who came out to the event.

This year, Price said he hopes to bring in 3,500-4,000 pounds of shrimp.

“We’re really hoping ticket sales go up,” Price said. “Last year, we sold 2,800 tickets, made $18,000 at Shrimp Feast and put $32,000 back into the community. We had to dip into the reserves a little.”

The feast is the only fundraiser held by the Suffolk Ruritan Club, which donates money to more than 25 organizations and gave more than $15,000 in scholarships last year.

To purchase tickets visit:

Bennett’s Creek Pharmacy

Suffolk FirstBank

Chorey and Associates Realty

Bank of Hampton Roads

Gordon’s Body Shop

Mike Duman Auto Sales

Dr. Robertson’s Eye Care

RE/MAX Acrosstown Realty

Suffolk Insurance

Quality Cleaners

First Federal Bank

Richardson and Nash

Call 514-4130 for information.

Checks payable to “Suffolk Ruritan Club.”

Credit cards not accepted.

Tickets will be $40 at the gate.