Buffalo, teriyaki, sweet and sour, hot as fire, deep-fried. Whichever way you prefer your chicken wings, finger-licking is always involved. A washcloth for your face might also be necessary.

Chicken wings may be reserved for Sunday afternoon football, but all bets are off on Saturday as town departments and organizations from across the Vineyard compete for the best wing recipe on the Island at the second annual Wingfest at Sharky’s Cantina in Edgartown.

All proceeds from the all-you-can-eat event will benefit the Martha’s Vineyard Boys’ and Girls’ Club, an affordable, after-school program and summer camp for Island kids. At $25 a ticket, club executive Peter Lambos is hoping to raise $10,000 from Wingfest, doubling last year’s take.

“We try to keep it a community oriented event, and we like to give recognition and exposure to other agencies,” Mr. Lambos said earlier this week. “It should be a really fun day.” The club charges $20 a year per child, but actual costs are around $1,000 per child. Mr. Lambos said the club relies heavily on the support from the community at fundraisers such as Wingfest.

“You walk into chicken wing lovers’ heaven,” Sharky’s owner JB Blau said of the 10 to 12 booths made up of police departments, fire departments, schools and a few nonprofit groups. “We cook the wings and handle all the preparation of the wings. The contestants prepare the sauce, and in the back, in a delicate procedure, we sauce all the wings and runners run them to each booth.”

Contestants prepare five gallons of their special sauce, and Mr. Blau estimates they’ll go through 500 pounds of chicken wings. For those who are still standing by the end of the day, voting will take place to name the 2010 best wing and best booth. Sharky’s will serve the winner’s sauce for as long as supplies last. Earnings from the winning sauce will continue to go to the club.

The team to beat this year is the Edgartown Firemen’s Association, the reigning champions whose siren-blaring booth last year helped win them the top prize. Police and fire departments in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs have been gearing up all week for the challenge, and all parties are confident their wings are the wings to beat.

“We know the cops are gunning for us,” association president Andy Kelly said. “Everything was on the spot last year. We were the only ones who showed up with a booth last year everyone laughed at us with our flashing lights We have a lot of fun with it and we know it’s for a great cause. It’s part of our mission statement to help the kids in town, and what better way to do it?”

Fire department chefs Matt Millman and Chris Hart will prepare a tequila lime sauce, similar to the winning recipe last year.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Mr. Kelly said. “We like to think we set the bar high for everybody and now they’re coming for us.”

Edgartown police officer Michael Gazaille acknowledged the competition next door.

“We’re going to top that for sure,” Mr. Gazaille, the Edgartown Police Association president, said of their top secret recipe. “We were robbed last year. We have to keep it fresh every year, and we expect to win.” Mr. Gazaille and his team of 12 have come up with a unique name for their recipe: EPA Tasered wings.

Organizers Peter Lambos, left, and JB Blau. — unspecified

The first 250 people will receive a golf towel that clips onto your belt for easy hand cleanup, wet naps will be on the tables and chips will be available to cleanse your palate. A raffle includes a signed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady football, which Mr. Blau concedes may have been worth more before last Sunday’s loss to the Cleveland Browns.

“The eating contest is very high drama,” Mr. Blau said of the test of who can eat 20 wings the fastest. “Especially after they’ve been eating for two hours.”

Steve Jordan won last year’s competition by finishing his plate in under two minutes. So what was his secret to success?

“I served all day, and I was hungry,” Mr. Jordan explained. His sauce recipe won him the hottest wings award.

“It’s all about the mental preparation, you have to get yourself in the right mind and focus.

“Part of it is, you have to arrange your wings on the plate from wings to drumsticks, and then a quick snap of the wing into two pieces makes them go down twice as fast.

“The key to winning is not to laugh at the people beside you,” he added.

The world record for eating chicken wings is 7.5 pounds in 12 minutes.

Mr. Jordan isn’t the only one with secrets up his sleeve. Oak Bluffs ambulance chief John Rose wouldn’t give up much in a conversation with the Gazette this week, but he guaranteed a good time and a great team name: The OB EMS and Fire Cardiac Cloggers.

“The preparations are going great, we had a good sauce last year and it’s going to be even better,” Mr. Rose said. “We plan on giving Edgartown a run for the trophy this year.”

Oak Bluffs police are also in the running for the top prize. Officer Dan Cassidy, who also hosts trivia night and karaoke at the Wharf Pub in Edgartown, said they might incorporate some of his night-time tricks into their booth.

“We need to stand out. It’s go big or go home, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” he said. “We might have special outfits, something a little cop-like Maybe we won’t wear sleeves at all and just show our guns. It should be a good time.”

No matter the winner, one thing remains clear: the secret’s in the sauce.

The second annual Sharky’s Wingfest to benefit the Martha’s Vineyard Boys’ and Girls’ Club is Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available at the door; call 508-627-3303 or e-mail bgclub@vineyardnet. This is an event for ages 21 and over.