Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival 2026

Ireland’s top seafood festival 🦪

2026 Programme (tbc)

The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival returns from 25 to 27 September 2026. The world’s longest running Oyster Festival and one of the most internationally recognised Irish events,, it is a highlight in the west of Ireland’s festival calendar.

2026 Oyster Festival Tickets 🎫

2026 Oyster Festival Highlights*

*Expected events, all to be confirmed closer to the festival date.

Festival Background & Highlights

Running annually since 1954, The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival has welcomed over half a million visitors, consumed more than 3 million oysters and all washed down with champagne and stout whilst listening to some of the best musicians in Ireland overlooking the famous Claddagh area by the sea in Galway City.

During this popular food festival, you can expect to experience a wide variety of tantalising events to enjoy from seafood trails, oyster hot spots, oyster opening (shucking) championships including the Oyster ‘Olympics’ or World Oyster Opening Championship, foodie talks & tasting events in some of Galway’s finest restaurants, food provenance tours, sample delights at the intimate food village at The Festival Marquee, a Mardi Gras style Gala Event through the streets of Galway, Best Dressed Lady competition, the Tribal Oyster Feast Off oyster eating competition along with family activities, live music, cooking demonstrations, ‘Hot Oyster Awards’ cooking challenge and more.

Traditionally, over the three days, the festival hosts the World Oyster Opening Championship, an annual beauty contest to select the Festival Pearl, a Mardi Gras Party with Champagne, Guinness and Oyster reception and an electrifying line up of top class artists, an afternoon Marquee Reception (with more Guinness and Oysters) and the grand finale, the Gala Ball.

Galway Oyster Festival: What to expect

The Seafood Trail 🦀

A Seafood Trail is a new addition to the festival which includes a selection of Galway’s best restaurants serving locally sourced ingredients & seafood; each restaurant will have Galway Oysters available from Thursday to Sunday during the festival so all visitors can try the famed delicacy. It is expected that the 2023 Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival will once again feature the popular Seafood Trail which involves 17 of the city’s leading seafood establishments from McDonagh’s world-renowned seafood restaurant on Quay St, to the city’s best known oyster houses Tigh Neachtain and Chef JP McMahon’s Tartare. The trail extends all the way out from the city to West at the Twelve and then joins up with the BIM.

The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival – Seafood Trail Participants

• Tigh Neachtain
• West @ The Twelve
• Bay Brasserie at The Galway Bay Hotel
• Brasserie on the Corner
• Rúibín
• McDonaghs
• Marinas Restaurant at The Galmont Hotel
• Dillisk on the Docks at the Harbour Hotel
• Sonny Molloys
• Cava Bodega
• The Huntsman Inn
• McSwiggans
• Martine’s Wine Bar
• Cava Bodega
• The Front Door Pub
• The Dáil Bar

View Large Seafood Trail map

Contact

📞 00 353 87 332 1562
📨 [email protected]
💻 www.galwayoysterfestival.com