Kick off Chowderfest weekend with a celebration of the local estuary’s bounties, as the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Loveladies hosts its annual Seafood Soirée on Friday, Oct. 4. The event will be held from 7 to 10 p.m.

“Join us for a gastronomical learning evening,” the Foundation encourages. “Mingle while sampling and meet the folks who farm, catch and prepare some of the best seafood in the world!”