The Galway International Oyster Festival takes place this year from 23rd to 25th September 2011. Events over the 3 days include the Best Dressed Lady competition, Street Party in the Latin Quarter and the Guinness World Oyster Opening Championships. For the best in gourmet seafood, live music and the best Guinness in town, it has to be the Galway Oyster Festival. If you are interested in attending any of the following events, please be sure to book your tickets online at www.galwayoysterfest.com or call +353 91 575875.
Friday 23rd September 2011
Seafood Dinearound
Ticket Price: €70
Let Galway whet your appetite as you take a table in one of it's finest restaurants to enjoy award-winning cuisine and some of the warmest hospitality in the City of Tribes.
National Oyster Opening Championships
Ticket Price: €30
Live music will kick start the weekend's celebrations. Oyster openers from all over Ireland will be competing to oust the reigning champion, Michael Moran from his well-earned title of Irish Oyster Opening Champion.
Saturday 24th September 2011
Oyster Festival Parade
Ticket Price: Free public event
Fun & free for all the family, traditional Irish musicians and performers will keep the crowd entertained until the opening ceremony begins.
Oyster Tasting and the World Oyster Opening Championship
Ticket Price: €80
A non-stop afternoon of entertainment and festival fun awaits; Oyster Tasting, The World Oyster Opener Championship, Best Dressed Lady competition and live music.
Sunday 25th September 2011
Oyster Festival Finale
Ticket Price: €15 (Kids under 12 go FREE)
Round up the 57th Galway International Oyster & Seafood festival with style at the final event of an action-packed weekend. Live music, dancing, ‘Blas na Mara’ (Taste of the Sea) - seafood extravaganza, family activities and much, much more.
Where did it all begin? It was the first week of September in 1953 and the worried manager of the Great Southern Hotel, Brian Collins, was looking at his near empty hotel. How could he extend the tourist season into September? Later that day, while discussing menus with the head chef, it was suggested that oysters should be on the menu as they had just come into season. An idea came into Brian’s head –“why not celebrate the opening of the oyster season with a festival?” – “In September 1954 we will have an oyster festival!” True to his word with help from local businessmen and Guinness, the first festival took place the following September with 34 guests attending the first Oyster Festival Banquet and from such humble beginnings grew what is now regarded as one of the most celebrated and longest running festivals in the world.
The Galway International Oyster Festival has been voted one of the 12 greatest shows on earth! A weekend of non-stop entertainment which features top-class national and international artists, cabaret and dancing from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th September. Galway City will come alive as thousands of people travel from the four corners of the world to enjoy a remarkable festival celebrating the oyster, a food known for it’s mysterious luxury and passion. The Festival takes place at a variety of venues around Galway including the Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway City.
