Even on a rescheduled rain date, under cloudy skies, an estimated one thousand hungry people turned out to sample chowder from 13 area restaurants at the Prescott Park Arts Festival’s 22nd annual WOKQ Chowder Fest, co-sponsored by Taste of the Seacoast Magazine on Sunday, June 4.

According to the people’s choice, Wentworth by the Sea was dubbed the top chowder contender for 2006. Second place went to Harbor’s Edge and third place to The Stone Church.

The judges had a slightly different take, choosing Harbor’s Edge as the best chowder for its “rich, red creamy chowder with big chunks of lobster and the eating flavors of sweet roasted corn.” The Stone Church earned second place for its “large chunks of tender clams with excellent use of aromatic green herbs.” Saunders at Rye Harbor was the judges’ pick for third place, for “a classic New England chowder with lots of richness and chock full of many kinds of seafood.”

Both the audience and the judges chose Old Salt Eating Place as winner of the Best Booth award.