Dancing, shucking, eating – we attended the 70th edition of the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival over the weekend which promised an unforgettable 3 days of fun, and fully delivered. Here are our highlights from the weekend!
Set in a gorgeous marquee on Ninmos pier overlooking the sea, the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, now celebrating its 70th anniversary, was already off to a brilliant start as we walked in, twinkling lights, flags waving in the wind, plenty of smiling faces around and a complimentary glass of bubbles landing in my hand within the first few seconds of entering. Bliss, right? Well, it only got better!
So, what was in store for the weekend? Plenty of things to see, eat and do! The famous Oyster Shucking Competition and World Championship were spread over 2 days, with live entertainment scheduled before and after on each, as well as a big Party of the Champions finale. A Demo Kitchen was also on throughout the weekend, offering unique recipes and treats for all, demonstrated live by experts.
Shuck It! The Oyster Shucking Competition and World Championship
One of the main attractions that brings visitors from all over the globe every year is the Oyster Shucking Competition, where skilled shuckers showcase their lightning-fast abilities in opening oysters. If you’ve never seen a professional shuck an oyster, it’s a sight to remember – precision, speed, and a touch of flair all come together in this high-energy event.
We stood right by the stage, where we could see the oysters and shuckers up close. At points, it felt as though we were shucking with them! After an intensive shuck-off, Sebastian Kuduk was crowned the Irish shucking champion, and was on to represent Ireland at the World Oyster Shucking Championship happening the next day.
The World Oyster Shucking Championship has the best shuckers from around the world go head-to-head for the title. The atmosphere was electric, the competition fierce, and the stakes high—after all, there can only be one World Champion! In the end, Renars Purmails from Latvia won, and Ireland placed 2nd!
Good Food Galore
The Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival isn’t just about oysters (although they are the star of the show)! Our taste buds were absolutely not ready for the delicious treats that were served up over the weekend, including perfectly fried calamari, mussels, and some good soul-feeding food trucks.
We started off with some Kelly Oysters, with an assortment of garnishes available at their stand that we took full advantage of (hello, tabasco!). The outdoor seating area was plenty warm and entertaining, and the atmosphere so good that we didn’t even mind the queue for the mussels. We slurped down our oystery goodness while our portion of mussels (in a decadent white wine sauce) was being shuffled about in the pan. Soon, we were feasting on all our goodies!
If you’re less into oysters and fancy something fried, we tucked into some crispy calamari rings, perfectly seasoned and served with zesty dipping sauces just after the shucking championship to fuel ourselves up for the dancefloor. All of the seafood at the event was fresh, tasty and well presented.
Oyster and Seaweed Ice Cream
Now, for something you’ll likely only ever find at the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival—Oyster Ice Cream by Oysome! Yes, you read that right. This creamy, rich treat is, in our opinion, the festival’s pièce de résistance, bringing together the briny flavor of oysters with the smooth texture of ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce. It’s adventurous, it’s unexpected, and it’s a must-try!
For those whose palate prefers something a bit more subtle but equally marine-inspired, the festival also featured Seaweed Ice Cream. This dessert had a similarly sweet and salty flavour that was uniquely Irish.
Both desserts began as a college project, and this year they have transcended into a pretty great part of the festival!
Fantastic Entertainment
It wouldn’t be a proper festival without some lively entertainment, and the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival did not disappoint! The weekend was filled with live music and dancing acts, showcasing some great talent. There was a traditional Irish dancing performance, followed by a night full of traditional music, jazz, ABBA, everything you could wish for at a seafood fest, and more.
The Party of the Champions was another great event running late into the night on the second day of the event, where there was plenty of dancing and celebration for the shuckers of the festival, and us. We grooved and slurped down some more delicious oysters throughout.
The festival was absolutely buzzing with people from all over throughout the whole 3 days, which was definitely one of the main highlights for us. We met people from all over the world, Hawaii, New York, Australia, Singapore and more, who were passionate about everything Galway and Oysters. It was a fantastic experience seeing that not only did they come from so far just to be here – but they were all having great fun.
Our Takeaway (We’ll be back)
There’s a reason why people return to the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival year on year. The fresh seafood, the excitement of the championship and the entertainment all play their part – the atmosphere is just absolutely unbelievable, warm and welcoming. It’s no wonder that the festival is in its 70th year – we wish it at least 70 more! See you next year, Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival.
For more information, including ticket details and event schedules for 2025, be sure to visit the Galway Oyster Festival website. You don’t want to miss out!
