NEW ORLEANS – The Annual New Orleans Oyster Festival will celebrate that local delicacy – the oyster – that is an integral part of the unique culinary culture of Louisiana. The Oyster Festival will take place Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, at the Woldenberg Riverfront Park next to the Entergy Giant Screen Theater at the Aquarium, from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The festival will feature oyster competitions including the Acme Oyster House® World Oyster Eating Championship, the P&J Oyster Shucking Competition and the New Orleans Fish House Largest Oyster Contest. More than 20 restaurants will be showing off the versatility of the region’s favorite bivalve.
Festivalgoers will also be able to purchase an array of New Orleans seafood apparel, jewelry, home décor and culinary appliances from craft vendors including Party Pirogues, MacBe Oyster Art, Bonfolk Collective, House of Tam and more.
Launched in 2010, the New Orleans Oyster Festival works to educate the country about the benefits of the Louisiana Gulf Oyster, honor and celebrate the restaurateurs and oyster farmers who have solidified the New Orleans French Quarter’s position as the “Oyster Capital of America” and help raise funds for coastal restoration. The New Orleans Oyster Festival donates a portion of its proceeds to a beneficiary or group of beneficiaries whose purpose and mission align with that of the festival.
The Oyster Festival’s schedule includes:
Saturday, June 3
10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Pontchartrain Wrecks
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. The P&J Oyster Shucking Competition
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Johnny Hayes & The Loveseats
2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Billy luso & Restless Natives
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Bonerama
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Flow Tribe
Sunday, June 4
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Gospel Performance
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Acme Oyster House® World Oyster Eating Championship
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Luke Winslow King
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. The Mulligan Brothers
4:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Brass-A-Holics
6:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Bag of Donuts
The P&J Oyster Shucking Competition preliminaries will take place on Thursday, June 1, at 4:00 p.m. at the Desire Oyster Bar at Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St.
Sponsored and hosted by Royal Sonesta New Orleans, the P&J Oyster Shucking Competition will have a preliminary event to identify the top six shuckers that will participate in the final round of the competition at the New Orleans Oyster Festival. The city’s best shuckers, each from a different restaurant in the city, will be on hand to shuck their way to the finals for the competition.
VIP passes cost $125 for the entire weekend; $75 daily and include access to private the VIP hospitality lounge and viewing area. Oyster Festival VIP guests can relax with complimentary beverages, seating and A/C restrooms. Each VIP guest will receive one ticket to redeem for any food item at the festival. The complimentary beverages include five alcoholic drinks (liquor, beer or wine) and unlimited soda and water.
A limited number of VIP passes will be for sale onsite.
