The town of Whitstable, nestled on the North Kent coast, has been synonymous with oysters for hundreds of years. Probably longer in fact. Two thousand-year-old oyster shells excavated in modern Rome have been traced back to this traditional seaside town and oysters remain a part of Whitstable’s character to this day.
The Whitstable Oyster Festival is an annual celebration of Whitstable’s most famous export and there are lots of activities based around heritage and community, food and drinks, family and art. For seven days, from Saturday 27th July, Whitstable will come alive with things to do, see, taste & enjoy.
The Whitstable Oyster Festival
The Whitstable Oyster Festival traditionally celebrates the oystermen’s holiday; native oysters are only farmed when there is an ‘r’ in the month (although Pacific rock oysters are farmed year-round and it is these that are available during the festival). The modern festival reflects a tradition that dates from Norman times, when local fisherman held a festival and service of thanksgiving around the feast day of St. James of Compostella (25th July).
The week opens with the Landing of the Oysters and a town parade, which delivers ‘the catch’ to local restaurants. A Harbour Food Fair showcases local produce during the opening weekend and the streets are awash with foodies and families from far and wide, enjoying events such as the Mud Tug (tug-of-war) and the fiercely competitive Oyster Challenge.
After the busy opening weekend, Whitstable remains a family paradise, with a week-long programme of music and cultural events, including daily workshops and activities for children, heritage walks and talks, open air performances and cooking demonstrations from local chefs.
The festival ends in a spectacular fireworks display over the sea, viewed from the beach, where children display illuminated ‘grotters’ that they create earlier in the day. Grotters are oyster shell sand castles lit to bring a luminous beauty to the beach from dusk until late into the night.
‘Whitstable oysters’ is an EU-protected geographical indication name and is only applicable to native oysters. Although the mouth-watering ostrea edulis (native Whitstable oyster) are not available in the summer months, it means you should return in September to taste Whitstable’s magnificent claim to fame.
The Whitstable Oyster Festival
Saturday 27th July – Friday 2nd August 2013
www.whitstableoysterfestival.com
Check Whitstable out in Visit England’s Bucket List
Getting There
Rail: Whitstable is easily accessible by rail with regular trains from London Victoria (1hr 30mins) and from Thanet. Whitstable railway station is a short ten-minute walk from the town centre.
For more information visit www.southeasternrailway.co.uk for a train timetable. Singles starts at £29.90 but off-peak web fares start at £23.50 return.
Bus: Whitstable has a regular bus service to and from Canterbury and Herne Bay.
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