Photo courtesy of Oyster Festival/Instagram

Oyster Festival Shucks Its Way To The Riverfront

At 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 2, the New Orleans Oyster Festival will return to the city to kick off its two-day celebration of music, crafts and shellfish at Woldenberg Riverfront Park. The event, which is located along the banks of the Mississippi River, will feature over 25 food and crafts vendors and 10 musical artists over the course of both days.

According to the festival’s website, its mission is to educate the public about the benefits of the Louisiana Gulf Oyster, honor the oyster farmers and restaurateurs who have helped dub the French Quarter as the “Oyster Capital of America,” and to help raise funds for restoration of Louisiana’s coastlines.

This year’s celebration features a well-rounded lineup of local jazz, zydeco and soul musicians including the Treme Brass Band, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Bucktown All Stars, Darcy Malone & The Tangle, Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs, The Mulligan Brothers, One-A-Chord, Sweet Crude, Naughty Professor with Sexy Dex and Bag of Donuts.

Even with an impressive and diverse slate of artists on-tap, music comes second to the oysters. Famous local establishments like Acme Oyster House, Felix’s Oyster Bar and Jacque-Imo’s Cafe among many others will be selling a variety oyster-tinged dishes and snacks for the most dedicated of oyster enthusiasts. But as with any steamy afternoon in New Orleans, it would not be complete without snoballs, which NOLA Snow Snoballs will provide.

The crafts sold at the festival are, expectedly, oyster-themed. Bayo Creations, House of Tam, Toadfish, NOLA Hook Bracelets, Stone Creations, Tailgate Specialties and The Oyster Bed are all contributing with art, picture frames, jewelry and an assortment of other oyster-themed goods.

This celebration of shared love of shellfish certainly does not come without the spirit of competition, and there are three in which attendees can compete: the World Oyster Eating Championship presented by Acme Oyster House, the PB&J Shucking Contest, and Largest Oyster Contest presented by New Orleans Fish House.

The festival is free and open to the public, but donations for beneficiaries are greatly appreciated. VIP passes are on-sale through Eventbrite.