The 21st annual Falmouth Oyster Festival is set to take place from Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th October in Cornwall, promising a programme full of flavoursome fun.
The four-day festival will bring together a blend of local chefs, oyster fishermen, food and drink enthusiasts and an eclectic mix of musicians, in celebration of the start of Falmouth’s oyster fishery season, which runs from October to March.
Activities during the festival
Cookery demonstrations by top chefs and food experts from Cornwall’s hotels and restaurants will inspire visitors to try their hand at unusual and exciting seafood combinations and indulge in the tastes of native oysters and local produce.
With methods that have changed little in the last 500 years, vessels powered only by sail and oar can operate to catch the native Fal Oyster, with its salty liquor and sweet flesh.
In addition, the programme includes live music, Cornish food produce, arts and crafts, real ale and wine bars, oyster and seafood bars, working boat racing, a grand oyster parade and a most fiercely contested oyster shucking competition.
Last year’s festival attracted over 40,000 visitors, while an estimated 25,000 oysters were consumed over four days. Chefs demonstrated their flair, local craft and food marquees were buzzing with shoppers and a wide range of music, from folk to jump jive, entertained the crowds.
Highlights included Betty Stogs, the infamous Falmouth Marine Band and the Oggymen, who sang out the final afternoon.
About the festival
Falmouth Oyster Festival began in 1996 and celebrates the start of the oyster season.
Catering to all oyster, seafood and maritime heritage enthusiasts, it has gathered a “loyal following of thousands” who gather to celebrate the local heritage of the fishing town.
For full details of the 2017 festival programme, you can visit www.falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk.
