In a few short weeks we will be up to our eyeballs in oysters when Oysterfest returns for its 7th edition. This year promises a fantastic new venue, more music, more restaurants, fierce competitions and of course loads of oysters for all you shuckers out there. Read on for all the details.
At a press conference held last week and Notkins Oyster Bar and Restaurant, Daniel Notkin and his Oysterfest team revealed all the juicy details (and unveiled the official poster, pictured above) to select members of Montreal media. In 7 short years the food festival, which started in an Old Montreal parking lot and attended by 150 people, has grown into an internationally renowned celebration of food, Montreal restaurants and oysters. Attendance for the 7th edition is expected to be nearing 10,000 visitors and guests with over 80 restaurants and vendors strutting their stuff over the two-day period. Five local bands including Jonas, Shane Murphy and Annakin Slayde will take the stage during the festival to set the soundtrack during both days.
Oysterfest is also all about competition and this year there will be no shortage of shuckers, mixologists and chefs competing in 3 oyster shucking competitions, 3 drink-making competitions, 1 master chef plating competition and a beer boat race. What’s more, K-Way will be sponsoring a giant slip-and-slide that will run along the festival grounds and of course there will be amazing fireworks. Coming from very humble beginnings, Oysterfest now sits among the most anticipated food and music festivals that Montreal has to offer.
With the growing number of guests expected to attend, Oysterfest has once again out grown its venue and this year it will proudly take place a the Canadian Parks Canada Heritage site, the Peel Basin. Stretching out with more space for people to enjoy themselves, the festival is expected to be bigger and better than ever.
Proceeds from Oysterfest will go The Open Pier Conservatory, a non-profit group dedicated to the protection of our planet’s precious waterways and aquatic life. Since forming in 2011, the Conservatory has donated over $40,000 to programs including, The World Wildlife Fund of Canada and The Environmental Defence. This year, a portion of the profits will also be dedicated to the Conservatory’s own work, The Open Pier Project, a holistic, visual map of the world’s seafood focused on creating an understanding of the food we eat and its place in the ecosystem. Doing good while having a great time, eating good food and listening to cool music is a great way to spend a weekend.
Tickets to Oysterfest are now available and can be purchased here. For more on Oysterfest, visit their website here.
The breakdown:
When: Saturday, August 29th and Sunday, August 30th, 2015
Where: Peel Basin (1057 de la Commune O)
Time: Saturday -12pm – 6pm/Sunday 12pm-10pm
Admission: Saturday – Free Admition / Sunday – $40 General Admission + 2 Oysterfest coupons or $70 General Admission + 10 Oysterfest Coupons
Tickets are available online, at Notkins and Newland & Jump
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