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This Long Island celebration of all things oysters is set for a glorious comeback this weekend.
After a two-year pause, Catholic Health and the Rotary Club of Oyster Bay are bringing back the annual Oyster Festival, the largest waterfront festival on the East Coast, attracting over 150,000 people each year.
The 39th Oyster Festival takes place on Oct. 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the waterfront at Theodore Roosevelt Park in Oyster Bay.
“The annual Oyster Festival is a wonderful celebration of community and camaraderie,” said Patrick O’Shaughnessy, president and CEO of Catholic Health. “At Catholic Health, we feel a deep connection to community and to Long Island’s heritage. It’s an honor to partner with the Town of Oyster Bay and the Oyster Bay Charitable Fund for this weekend event, one that truly reflects Long Island’s unique character.”
Not only is the festival known for its oyster appreciation, but the event attracts individuals of all ages with its family-friendly activities, including live entertainment, top-notch artisans, pirate shows, midway rides, and the iconic oyster eating and shucking contest.
There have been a few broken records at past Oyster Festivals, such as David Leonard of Central Islip who in 1998 swallowed 480 oysters in two minutes and five seconds, and Rodney Dow, who broke the oyster shucking record with his 22 oysters shucked in two minutes.
This year’s oyster shucking and eating contests will be held from 2-3 p.m. First-prize winners receive $50 and a plaque, and second prize winners receive $25 and a plaque.
The food court also lures in attendees with its dozens of oyster, clam, and other seafood creations along with traditional festival fare.
A new addition to the 2022 Oyster Festival is the Belgium Beer Garden, an area for beer lovers over 21. Beer is $8 each and may be purchased two at a time per person.
Admission into the event is free and the festival is pet-free, but service animals are welcome.
Visitors can come by car, train or boat. There will be a free shuttle bus into the village and those who travel on the Long Island Rail Road will conveniently stop at the entrance of the festival.
For more information, visit the event’s official website here.
Top photo: The Oyster Festival website.
