John Menard (left) tries his hardest to shuck oysters while teammate Trevor Long, decked out in oyster shells, sucks them back as brine oozes down his chin during the Shuck and Suck contest Saturday night at the Sage Pub in Osoyoos. The two were not the fastest in the contest held as part of the Oliver Osoyoos Oyster Festival, but they were probably the most creatively dressed. Photo by Richard McGuire.
Not everyone loves oysters, but it’s very obvious people love to have a good time and that has guaranteed the Oliver Osoyoos Oyster Festival is here to stay after large crowds attended numerous events during this year’s festival.
The five-day event was a resounding success with most of the events packed to capacity and hundreds of people commenting on what a wonderful time they had, said Holly Plante, the president of the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce (SOCC), which helped organize the second annual oyster festival.
“It is amazing to come as far in only our second year as we have,” said Plante. “Just seeing the momentum from a small event during our first year to watching things grow so much bigger in only our second year was truly amazing.
“We brought this on with the idea of trying to provide a fun community event during the shoulder season for tourists, but to see the overwhelming support of locals and tourists to the oyster festival is remarkable. We had media up from Calgary and Edmonton and they were blown away that a small little festival could blossom into something this big in only its second year.”
The Oyster Brew Party held last Friday night at the Spirit Ridge Convention Centre attracted a huge crowd, as did the signature event, the Art of the Oyster, Saturday afternoon at Walnut Beach Resort.
An amateur Shuck and Suck competition at the Sage Pub, which saw teams of two see how fast they could shuck and suck back oysters, was also a huge hit with a full house on hand early Saturday evening.
Others events included oyster-themed dinner nights at the Miradoro Restaurant at Tinhorn Creek in Oliver and Terrafina Restaurant at the Hester Creek Winery, as well as an Oyster Bar and White Wine luncheon at Dolci’s Deli and Cafeteria in Osoyoos Friday afternoon.
The fact so many people came from out of town to enjoy the festival is very encouraging, said Plante.
“I met a lot of people who told me they came to town just for this festival and that they had a wonderful time,” she said. “That wasn’t what we expected in only our second year, but it goes to show that if you put on a good event, a fun event, that people will come.
“Everyone I talked to said they just had a wonderful time. It’s obvious this event is going to be around for a long, long time and we’re very excited about it.”
Claire Sear, sales manager at Walnut Beach Resort, who helped Plante and other members of the SOCC plan the festival, said the response this year was incredible.
“People who love oysters really love them,” she said smiling. “Oysters are having their biggest renaissance since the 18th century as there are new oyster bars opening up seemingly all over the place.
“There seems to be a common shared experience amongst oyster lovers in that they love good food and good wine and they like to have a good time. Never in our wildest dreams did we think this festival would take off like it has in only its second year, but we’re glad we’re providing an event that appeals to so many people.”
Anne-Marie Crofts, who owns the Codfathers Seafood Market in Kelowna along with her husband Jon, was a major sponsor for this year’s festival and she too was impressed with the fantastic response.
“This is a fantastic festival,” said Crofts, who brought her three young sons between the ages of seven and four to town to enjoy the festivities. “To see this grow into what it has become in only two years is quite remarkable.”
Having a festival that promotes the B.C. shellfish industry is also encouraging, she said.
“All of our oysters are from the Quadra Island area of the province,” she said.
Judging by the tremendous response to most of the events, Crofts agrees this festival is here to stay.
“Look around … everyone is having such a wonderful time,” she said. “This isn’t all about oysters, but about meeting people and having a good time and the organizers have done a tremendous job in putting this all together.”
Helen Knight, the owner of Helen’s Seafood Cove in Osoyoos, said her business is thrilled to be part of this festival.
“This is all about having fun,” said Knight, while attending the Shuck and Suck competition at the Sage Pub Saturday. “There’s not always a lot going on in town and events like this allow people to get out and enjoy themselves.”
