Stranraer Oyster Festival takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September 2024.
1. It’s unique. Scotland’s last remaining wild, native oyster bed is a stone’s throw from the festival site. Loch Ryan native oysters are one of Dumfries & Galloway’s iconic local foods. There’s big demand for these delicacies in top London restaurants, but nothing beats enjoying them at the festival!
2. It’s delicious. Of course, there will be much more to eat than just oysters. Around 50 local food and drink producers take part in a huge artisan market and amazing street food – the giant paellas created by the Henrys Bay House Restaurant team are legendary!
3. There’s live music till late. The live music line up at the festival this year is extra special, there’s music throughout the festival and the three bands with top billing are all festival favourites. Porkpie headline Friday, Astoria play till late on Saturday and The Dangleberries on Sunday.
4. It’s family friendly. There’s a real family friendly atmosphere with a packed programme of activities and entertainment for young people. And since dogs are an important part of many families, well behaved pooches are welcome too!
5. It’s seasonal seafood. The British native oyster season starts on 1st September, making September the very best time to enjoy native oysters.
6. It’s eco-friendly. These oysters are marine ecosystem heroes and the festival has the environment at its heart, including oyster shell recycling and an Eco Zone. By enjoying Loch Ryan native oysters you are directly supporting the conservation management of this important oyster bed.
7. Never tried one? There’s nothing elitist about the oysters at this festival, the team behind the huge oyster bar coach thousands of visitors each year on the best way to enjoy their first oyster. So come along and pop your oyster cherry.
8. It’s competitive. With a shout of “Shuck-Off!” to the competitors, the festival will crown the Scottish Oyster Shucking Champion who will go on to compete in the World Championships.
9. It’s got celeb chefs. TV regulars Tony Singh, Cyrus Todiwala, Julie Lin and Jimmy Lee are taking part this year, plus Green Michelin Star holder Pam Brunton and inspiring local chefs too.
10. It’s community-led. The Oyster Festival is run by Stranraer Development Trust and involves a whole host of community organisations – when you visit the festival you are directly supporting the community-led regeneration of Stranraer!
Early Bird Weekend tickets cost £15, and Day Tickets cost from £6, with concessions available. Additional charges apply for Chef Demo events.
For more information details and to book tickets, head to www.stranraeroysterfestival.com
Read about the the future’s bright for Stranraer in the September 2024 issue of Dumfries and Galloway Life.
