A serving of six medium oysters provides 100% or more of your daily recommended allowance of vitamin B12, copper, omega-3s and zinc. Autumn means back to school, pumpkin spice lattes and, for the last 4,000 years, sweet briny bivalves. Though oysters are now available year-round, the historical season follows the months of R rule: you only eat them in months with the letter R in their name.
Modern farming and refrigeration techniques make the old adage obsolete, but oysters remain sweeter, larger and more flavorful in the fall and winter months because of their spawning cycle. Oyster festivals dot the country and offer travelers a way to slurp up local cuisine on a weekend getaway perfect for food lovers.
Wellfleet OysterFest, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Famous for its beaches and infamous for its summer traffic, Cape Cod presents a different side during shoulder season. Visit for the Wellfleet OysterFest on Oct. 18-19 and discover a quieter, cozier Cape.
Check in to the newly renovated rooms at the historic Wequassett Resort & Golf Club before touring a cranberry bog in the midst of harvest. Enjoy a round of golf at Cape Cod National Golf Club, available only to members and resort guests. Or stay active with racquet sports or biking.
At OysterFest, wander Main Street and take in live music, arts vendors, food stalls and wine and beer gardens. Watch the Shuck-Off competition, billed as the largest oyster shucking competition in America. A family fun area entertains kids while culinary demonstrations level up your cooking techniques.
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, Maui, Hawaii
Hawaii is not known for its oysters, but for the last 15 years it has hosted the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. One stop on this year’s circuit takes place Oct. 24-26 in Ka’anapali, and the event’s Southern Seafood Sunday will especially interest seafood lovers.
Chef Alex Kim, winner of the 2025 Canadian Culinary Championship, brings his award-winning oyster dish to the event as he oversees the VIP oyster bar at Saturday night’s festivities. Originally from South Korea, Kim says the inspiration for his signature dish came from eating oysters with his grandmother on her farm outside Seoul. He pairs a poached oyster and seasonal vegetable puree over a sea lettuce tartlet hand-painted to resemble an oyster shell. It creates the unique experience of not slurping the oyster from the shell but biting right into the shell itself.
Visitors to the festival choose from Ka’anapali’s 11 accommodations, with options ranging from oceanfront hotels to family-friendly resorts and luxury villa rentals. With fall weather in the 80s, the festival is the perfect way to soak up the sun before winter sets in.
OysterFest in Shelton, Washington
Oct. 4-5 is OysterFest, where food lovers find the West Coast Oyster Shucking Championship and the Washington State Seafood Festival. A 90-minute drive from Seattle makes this an easy day trip. Visitors find live music, more than 40 food vendors, a microbrew garden and wine pavilion and family-friendly activities.
From the festival, head northwest to explore the misty, moody landscapes of Olympic National Park, home to the Hoh Rainforest and ancient spruce and hemlock trees. October brings the wet weather the Pacific Northwest is known for, so don a rain jacket and explore one of the last remaining temperate rainforests. Spend the night in Port Angeles or keep wandering north to glimpse whales off San Juan Island.
US Oyster Festival, Leonardtown, Maryland
The US Oyster Festival celebrates its 59th year Oct. 18-19. More than 100 vendors sell food, drinks and handicrafts, but the real draw is the National Oyster Shucking Championship. The winner earns a berth to represent the United States at the International Championship in Galway, Ireland.
Located an hour and 15 minutes from Washington the festival is an easy day or weekend trip from the metro area. Visitors to the capital have American history and culture at their fingertips, from museums to the performing arts to the halls of government.
NC Oyster Festival, Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
This year’s oyster festival takes place Oct. 18-19 and brings together local artisans, musicians and, of course, food vendors. Combine the festival with a visit to nearby Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, located just 45 minutes south of Ocean Isle Beach.
October in the South brings pleasant temperatures for outdoor activities and fewer crowds, while the water remains warm. It is still hurricane season, so check the forecast and book refundable reservations.
Tofino Oyster Fest, Tofino, British Columbia
Our neighbor to the north glams up the traditional oyster festival with its event Nov. 21-23. Part fundraiser, part festival, the Tofino Oyster Fest is a serious foodie event. Expect elevated, inventive cuisine like the 2024 Judges Choice winner, which featured a shucked oyster, wagyu tartar, sofrito and mustard ice cream. In addition to the standard oyster shucking competition, the festival schedule includes a mermaid costume ball and a fundraiser gala.
Tofino is located on Vancouver Island’s western shore, four hours from Victoria. This is cabin country, and accommodations are big on comfort and views. Excellent surf, teeming tide pools, hiking and wildlife viewing coax visitors outside before oyster festival activities pick up in the evenings.
The months of R rule of thumb may no longer apply, but this time of year still brings the sweetest, plumpest oysters and the festivals that celebrate them. Whether you want an island getaway or a lush northwest escape, there is an oyster festival perfect for sipping and slurping your way into fall.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.