Hundreds load up on lobster at Newport fest

The aroma of fresh Maine lobster and melted butter permeated the air at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort on Sunday as hundreds of guests gathered at the beach for a West Coast spin on an East Coast tradition.

Visitors to Newport Beach’s eighth annual Lobsterfest chomped on 1,500 pounds of lobsters flown that day to Los Angeles International Airport from Maine. The lobsters were boiled, slathered in butter and served with grilled steak, salads, corn on the cob and a variety of desserts.

Proceeds from ticket sales will help support Make-A-Wish of Orange County and the Inland Empire, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, and Leadership Tomorrow, a nonprofit that provides programs for the public to learn about their community.

About $30,000 was raised from 744 tickets sold, organizers said.