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 ...

. 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 Nar ...

— 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 tow ...

— 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 (

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 t ...

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 an ...

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

. * 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 Aquitai ...

: 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, 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 Sh ...

, County Kerry, Ireland.

Singapore

* Th
World Oyster Festival
an annual, month-long event hosted b
Greenwood Fish Market
in 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, 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 coun ...

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 community in northwest Spain. It is coextensiv ...

) * 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 Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

) * 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 ...

(

) * 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 no ...

)

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 industry.

, a July Oyster Festival taking place in

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 ...

, Kent, England. * Falmouth Oyster Festival held at Falmouth, Cornwall, England in October. * Woburn Oyster Festival held in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England in September. * Easton Oyster Festival 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 ...

* Arcata Bay Oyster Festival — annually celebrated in June on the plaza in

Arcata, California Arcata (; Wiyot: ''Goudi’ni''; Yurok: ''Oket'oh'') is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2020 census, Arcata's population was 18,857. Arcata was first ...

* 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 ...

— Apalachicola, Florida * Lowcountry Oyster Festival — Charleston, South Carolina * Milford Oyster Festival — an annual food and entertainment festival in Milford, Connecticut, since 1975. * Norwalk Oyster Festival — an annual food and entertainment festival in Norwalk, Connecticut, since 1978.
North Carolina Oyster Festival
— Ocean Isle, NC * Ostraval — Williamstown, MA, 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 ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

, 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