Hip-hip hooray! The Pismo Beach Clam Festival starts this Friday! Back in the day, Pismo Beach was called the “Clam Capital of the World.” There’s even a type of clam named after the town, called the Pismo. Many residents in the 40’s and 50’s were filled with enthusiasm and excitement about the abundance of clams found in Pismo Beach, and created its most famous festival – the Pismo Beach Clam Festival – in 1946.     Now, exactly 73 years later, many of the clams are gone due to sea otters and overzealous hunters. But the Pismo Beach community keeps its roots and celebrates…