Oyster Fest: A Celebration of Tradition and Community in Oyster Bay

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Oyster Fest

Oyster Fest Returns to Oyster Bay October 19th & 20th!

For over four decades, the historic village of Oyster Bay, New York, has played host to one of the most anticipated events on Long Island— Oyster Fest. A vibrant celebration of food, fun, and community, this annual festival draws over 150,000 visitors from across the East Coast. On October 19th and 20th from 11am-6pm, Oyster Bay once again welcomes festival-goers to its scenic waterfront for a weekend filled with live entertainment, delicious food, and family-friendly activities.

Oyster Fest
Oyster Fest October 19th and 20th

Oyster Fest is a Historic Festival with a Modern Flair

Oyster Fest is more than just a local tradition; it’s the largest waterfront festival in the region and one of the biggest fundraisers of its kind. Organized by the Town of Oyster Bay and the Oyster Bay – East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, the festival donates proceeds from food sales to various charities. Visitors can take pride in knowing their fun-filled weekend supports a meaningful cause, with funds distributed to community organizations through a grant program.

Food: The Heart of the Festival

At the heart of Oyster Fest is the celebration of its namesake—oysters. Festival-goers can enjoy oysters in every imaginable form, whether served raw on the half-shell, fried, or in hearty chowders. Beyond oysters, there’s a wealth of seafood to enjoy, from shrimp to clams, as well as festival favorites like gourmet food trucks offering everything from burgers to exotic fusion dishes. Sweet tooths can indulge in an array of desserts, ensuring there’s something for everyone.

Entertainment and Family Fun

The Oyster Fest offers a full slate of entertainment for all ages. From live performances by local bands to thrilling amusement rides by Newton Shows, there’s no shortage of excitement. The family-friendly atmosphere extends to the Family Fun Zone, where children can enjoy games, face painting, and other interactive activities.

For art lovers, the Arts & Crafts pavilion features handmade treasures from local artisans, offering everything from jewelry to paintings. In addition, there will also be an Oyster Eating Contest, an Oyster Shucking Contest, and a Craft Beer Tent for the adults!

Getting to the Festival

Due to the festival’s popularity, visitors are encouraged to take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Oyster Bay, where additional trains will run on the Port Jefferson and Oyster Bay branches. For those driving, parking is available at the Syosset Rail station, with free shuttle buses transporting guests to the festival grounds. Shuttle buses run throughout the day, making it convenient for all attendees.

A Festival for the Community

What makes Oyster Fest truly special is its emphasis on community spirit. The festival brings together residents, local businesses, and visitors for a shared celebration of the town’s rich history and vibrant present. Whether you’re exploring the booths of local vendors, enjoying a live concert, or savoring the fresh seafood, the festival offers countless opportunities to connect with friends and neighbors.

Don’t Miss Oyster Fest!

Oyster Fest 2024 is shaping up to be another unforgettable event, blending the charm of Oyster Bay with an exciting array of activities, food, and entertainment. Mark your calendars for October 19th and 20th from 11am-6pm, and come experience the best of Long Island’s waterfront community at this beloved festival.

For more Events happening this Fall, click HERE!

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Melissa Farrell CEO
Melissa Farrell has a mission to support local business by "Going Local." As a local business owner herself, she understands the struggles entrepreneurs face when owning a business and is always trying to find ways to shine a spotlight onto them. Melissa started Going Local Tours & Experiences back in 2020 during the pandemic in hopes to bring people back into local restaurants and shops. She created food tours in Huntington, NY that would stop at 3-4 local businesses and gave the guests the chance to meet the owner and hear the story behind the business. She soon realized how powerful storytelling is when connecting people to local businesses and created options with local store owners as well to bring them onto the tour to share their story. Melissa wanted to expand out of Huntington to be able to support even more local businesses and started creating luxury picnics where she would bring local to you! She would find local businesses in the area of the picnic set up and deliver it to you offering ways to support over 3 local businesses at each picnic. This wasn't enough. She wanted to find a better way to help spread awareness of local businesses and share their stories. Enter Evangeline Knell...a woman with over 30 years of broadcasting experience who somehow convinced Melissa to host a 3 day live stream from the Huntington Fall Festival. She had never been on camera before, but working alongside Evie to create the 3 shows, gave Melissa the confidence to take on the challenge. The 3 shows produced focused on the local vendors, the food trucks and the events that occurred at the festival and had a much larger reach than Melissa could ever of done on her own. They soon realized a business partnership was needed and combined their two businesses, Identity Digital which is a production company and Going Local Tours and Experiences to form Going Local Media. Evie and Melissa even formed their own distribution outlet by creating Going Local TV, a streaming platform like Netflix or YouTube, that is all about local businesses, events and organizations on Long Island. There are over 200 videos including their podcast series "Let's Get Local" "Long Island Business Minds" and "Local Business Spotlight" that help spread awareness of our local businesses and Long Island Professionals. They are always thinking up new ways to support local, including this site, Going Local Long Island is a directory of articles on how to Go Local on Long Island. We appreciate you taking the time to read this and for supporting local! Thank you!
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