An oyster festival is a
food festival
A food festival is a festival, that uses food, often produce, as its central theme. These festivals have always been a means of uniting communities through celebrations of harvests and giving thanks for a plentiful growing season.
History
Food ...
centered on the
oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not al ...
. There are a number of oyster festivals worldwide, including the following:
Australia
*
The Brisbane Water Oyster Festival — Woy Woy, New South Wales
*
Narooma, New South Wales
Narooma is a town in the Australian state of New South Wales on the far south coast. The town is on the Princes Highway, which crosses the Wagonga Inlet to North Narooma. The heritage town of Central Tilba is nearby to the south.
The name Naro ...
— Narooma, New South Wales. The Narooma Oyster Festival showcases the renowned Sydney Rock Oysters grown in the region as well as other local produce. The multi-award winning event (Regional Tourism Awards) includes entertainment for young and old, oyster tasting, cooking demonstrations, shucking competitions, bars and music. The 2014 event, notably, attracted an influx of tourists from China and abroad, traveling to taste some of the world's finest Sydney Rock Oysters. The festival is organized by a sub committee of the Narooma Chamber of Commerce and dedicated local volunteers.
*
Ceduna, South Australia
Ceduna ( ) is a town in South Australia located on the shores of Murat Bay on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. It lies west of the junction of the Flinders and Eyre Highways around 786 km northwest of the capital Adelaide. The port town ...
— Ceduna, South Australia
Canada
* The Tyne Valley Oyster Festival, an annual festival in Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island, featuring the Canadian Oyster Shucking Championship, the PEI Oyster Grading Championship, Miss Oyster Pearl Pageant, Best Decorated Oyster Box, Best Dressed Oyster Fisher, Oyster Suppers and More...
* Festival des Huitres in Maisonette, New Brunswick
Chile
* Fiesta de la Ostra de Cardonal, in
Pelluhue
Pelluhue (in Mapudungun: ''land of clams'') is a town and commune in the Cauquenes Province of central Chile's seventh region of Maule.
Geography
The commune of Pelluhue has an area of and is bordered on the north by Chanco, on the south by C ...
(
Maule Region
The Maule Region ( es, Región del Maule, ) is one of Chile's 16 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region derives its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a ...
)
Croatia
* The Oyster Festival (Croatian: Fešta od kamenica), held every March in
Ston
Ston () is a settlement and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula.
History
Because of its geopolitical and strategic position, Ston has had a rich history since ant ...
, located at the south of isthmus of the
Pelješac
Pelješac (; Chakavian: ; it, Sabbioncello) is a peninsula in southern Dalmatia in Croatia. The peninsula is part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and is the second largest peninsula in Croatia. From the isthmus that begins at Ston, to the top o ...
peninsula in southern part of Croatia, also known for production of high-quality wines and sea salt.
France
*
La fête de l’huître, a July festival that takes place at
Riec-sur-Belon, in the
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
.
* Oyster festivals around
Arcachon Bay
Arcachon Basin or alternatively Arcachon Bay ( French: ''Bassin d'Arcachon'') is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest coast of France, situated in Pays de Buch between the Côte d'Argent and the Côte des Landes, in the region of Aquitain ...
: every year each municipality of the bay celebrate Arcachon oyster in its own way in the course of the summer.
Ireland
*
Galway International Oyster Festival
The Galway International Oyster Festival is a food festival held annually in Galway on the west coast of Ireland on the last weekend of September, the first month of the oyster season. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the brainchild of the Great South ...
, is deemed the oldest international oyster festival in the world and takes place on the last weekend of September each year. Galway, on the west coast of Ireland is the only place in Ireland when you can get native flat Galway Oysters in natural wild oyster beds. The festival was created to celebrate the start of the native oyster season as they are only available when there is an 'r' in the month. The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival is held over 3 days with marquee events, live music, seafood trails, oyster hot spots, masquerade gala event and the highly competitive World Oyster Opening Championship.
*
Ballylongford International Oyster Festival in
Ballylongford
Ballylongford (historically ''Bealalongford'', from ) is a village near Listowel in northern County Kerry, Ireland.
Geography
The village is situated near the estuary of the Ballyline River, on Ballylongford Bay, a tidal estuary of the River Sha ...
, County Kerry, Ireland.
Singapore
* Th
World Oyster Festival an annual, month-long event hosted b
Greenwood Fish Marketin Singapore. During which, more than 20 types of oysters are imported from across the globe for patrons to enjoy at their restaurants. Usually celebrated throughout the month of July, the event has been held since 2012.
South Africa
* The
Knysna Oyster Festival
Knysna () is a town with 76,150 inhabitants (2019 mid-year estimates) in the Western Cape province of South Africa. and is one of the destinations on the loosely defined Garden Route tourist route. It lies at 34° 2' 6.3168'' S and 23° 2' 47. ...
, an annual winter festival held in Knysna,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
Spain
The north coast of Spain is home to numerous festivals whose main theme is the oyster.
* Festival ''Somos la Ostra'', in
Castropol
Castropol is a municipality in Asturias, Spain. It is also the name of a parish within the municipality and a town within the parish.
The municipality of Castropol has a population of 3696 (INE, 2014). It is bounded on the north by the Cantabria ...
(
Asturias
Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in nor ...
)
* Festa da Ostra de A Lanzada-Noalla, in
Sanxenxo
Sanxenxo (; in Spanish ''Sangenjo'') is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It is situated in the southern part of the O Salnés region 15 kilometres west of the city of Pontevedra and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean ...
(
Galicia)
* Festa da Ostra de Arcade, in
Soutomaior
: ''For the former Formula-1 driver see Nelson Piquet Souto Maior''
Soutomaior is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra, autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. According to the INE
INE, Ine or ine may refer to:
Institutions
* Institut f ...
(
Galicia)
* Festa de l'Ostra de
L'Ampolla
L'Ampolla is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Baix Ebre in Catalonia, Spain. It was created in 1990 by the division of the municipality of el Perelló.
It is situated on the coast south of l'Ametlla de Mar, and is an important tourist cen ...
(
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
)
United Kingdom
England
*
Oyster Feast
The Oyster Feast is the centrepiece of the annual civic calendar in the ancient borough of Colchester located in Essex in the East of England.
The Colchester Natives
The Colne oyster fishery dates to the Roman era. It was mentioned in the Domesd ...
is an annual event in Colchester, Essex, England, held since the 14th century. The modern feast has been held since 1845.
*
Whitstable Oyster Festival
The Whitstable Oyster Festival is an annual event held in Whitstable, Kent, England, each year to celebrate the town's links with the oyster, oyster industry.Whitstable
Whitstable () is a town on the north coast of Kent adjoining the convergence of the Swale Estuary and the Greater Thames Estuary in southeastern England, north of Canterbury and west of Herne Bay. The 2011 Census reported a population of 32 ...
, Kent, England.
*
Falmouth Oyster Festival Falmouth may refer to:
Places Antigua
*Falmouth, Antigua and Barbuda
*Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
Australia
* Falmouth, Tasmania, a locality in North-east Tasmania
Canada
* Falmouth, Nova Scotia, a community in Hants County
*Upper Falmouth, Nova ...
held at
Falmouth, Cornwall, England in October.
*
Woburn Oyster Festival Woburn may refer to:
Places
Caribbean
* Woburn, Village, Grenada, Caribbean (W.I)
* Woburn, Marine Protected Area, Grenada, Caribbean (W.I)
Canada
* Woburn, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
** Woburn Collegiate Institute
* Woburn, Quebec, Canada
Eng ...
held in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England in September.
*
Easton Oyster Festival Easton may refer to:
Places
Canada
* Easton, Nova Scotia
United Kingdom
*Easton, Bristol
*Easton, Cambridgeshire
*Easton, Dorset
*Great Easton, Essex and Little Easton, Essex
*Easton, Hampshire
**Crux Easton, Hampshire
*Easton, Isle of Wight
* G ...
held in Easton, Bristol, England in October or November since 2005. The festival had a hiatus in 2011-12 but is returning in November 2013.
Northern Ireland
*
Hillsborough Oyster Festival in Hillsborough, County Down, Northern Ireland.
United States
*
Amite Oyster Festival annual festival in
Amite, Louisiana
Amite City ( or ; commonly just Amite) is a town in Tangipahoa Parish, of which it is the parish seat, in southeastern Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,141 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical A ...
*
Arcata Bay Oyster Festival — annually celebrated in June on the plaza in
Arcata, California
Arcata (; Wiyot language, Wiyot: ''Goudi’ni''; Yurok language, Yurok: ''Oket'oh'') is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay (United States), Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, Humboldt County, Californ ...
* Berks County Celtic Oyster Festival — Mohnton, Pennsylvania
* celebration in St. Michaels, MD falls the first Saturday in November and offers food, entertainment, vendors, educational opportunities, boat rides, hands-on oyster tonging all on the beautiful Miles River.
* Chincoteague Oyster Festival — Chincoteague, Virginia
*
Florida Seafood Festival
The Florida Seafood Festival is an annual two-day public event held in Apalachicola, Florida on the first weekend of November. The event is held in Battery Park, and around 25,000 people attend the festival each year. It is the oldest seafood fes ...
— Apalachicola, Florida
* Lowcountry Oyster Festival — Charleston, South Carolina
*
Milford Oyster Festival
Milford Oyster Festival, sometimes shortened to "Oysterfest," is an annual cultural festival held on the third Saturday of August throughout the city of Milford, Connecticut. As a major tourist attraction, billed as the largest one-day festival in ...
— an annual food and entertainment festival in Milford, Connecticut, since 1975.
*
Norwalk Oyster Festival
The Norwalk Oyster Festival is an annual fair in the city of Norwalk, Connecticut, United States, held on the first weekend after Labor Day in Veterans Park, near Long Island Sound.
Funds raised by the festival help the Norwalk Seaport Associa ...
— an annual food and entertainment festival in Norwalk, Connecticut, since 1978.
North Carolina Oyster Festival—
Ocean Isle, NC
* Ostraval —
Williamstown, MA
Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolit ...
, The annual April 30 farewell to oysters for the summer.
* OysterFest — in Shelton, Washington
* The Oyster Festival — Oyster Bay, New York
* The Oyster Whelm — Northern
Berkshire County
Berkshire County (pronounced ) is a county on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in ...
,
, since 2017.
* San Francisco Oyster Fest — San Francisco, Californi
San Diego OysterFest San Diego CA
* St. Mary's County Oyster Festival an
U.S. National Oyster Shucking Contest— Leonardtown, Maryland
* Oysterfest — Fulton, Texas
*Ocean State Oyster Festival — Providence, Rhode Island
* Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival, NJ held every September
Urbanna Oyster Festival— Urbanna, Virginia, since 1957
*
Wellfleet OysterFest — an annual festival in Wellfleet, Massachusetts (Cape Cod)
Taste of Wrightsville Beach— Wrightsville Beach, N
* Bluefield, West Virginia Shriner Patrol Annual Oyster Dinner every October since 1975.
* Hilton Head Oyster Festival — Hilton Head, SC
References
{{Oysters
Oyster festivals,
Food and drink festivals