The 2012 Schweppes Great Chowder Cookoff in Newport drew competitors, revelers and re-enactors Satuday.

The event at the Newport waterfront, which was rain or shine, didn't get a lot of help from the weather, with occasional wind and sprinkled rain from a generally overcast sky. But the tents and restaurant booths were crowded with eager chowder-tasters nontheless, sampling a few tablespoons' worth of each entrant's chowder to see who offered the best cooked recipe.

The winners are posted: 

Clam Category
1st Place: Stefano’s Seafood Restaurant – Long Beach Island, NJ (Booth #2)
2nd Place: Luke’s Lobster / Hurricane’s Chowder – Greene, ME and New York City (Booth #6)
3rd Place: Pawtucket Skilled Nursing – Pawtucket, RI (Booth #7)

Seafood Category

1st Place: Melville Grille – Portsmouth, RI (Booth #33)
2nd Place: Rhody Joe’s – Wakefield, RI (Booth #34)
3rd Place: Bunratty Manor Hotel – County Clare, Ireland (Booth #36)

Creative Category

1st Place: The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar – Newport, RI (Booth #23)
2nd Place: Leo’s Ristorante – Bristol, RI (Booth #22)
3rd Place: Tavern by the Sea – North Kingstown, RI (Booth #25)

People’s Choice: Most Spirited

Melville Grille – Portsmouth, RI

Best Decorated Booth

Stefano’s Seafood Restaurant – Long Beach Island, NJ

Clam Cake Chow-Down Winner

Craig Zalcberg – West Greenwich, RI