I can’t believe it’s the 15th annual BC Seafood Festival! I went to the very first one in 2008 when it was the BC Seafood and Shellfish Festival and at least again in 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2022, maybe more that I can’t find photos from. Do anyone else’s years just blend all together?
There are now Three Days of Events with an All-Star Lineup of Chefs!!!! Here’s the scoop from Hatch PR.
Check out some photos from last year on the GLV Instagram.
The BC Seafood Festival returns for its 15th year as Western Canada’s largest seafood celebration. This year features a new Comox Valley location atop Mount Washington on Vancouver Island, along with over twenty sea-foodie events that invite attendees to taste the bounty of the Pacific Ocean. Guests can look forward to interactive Masterclasses, dinners with a variety of BC chefs, happy hours, and friendly competitions including the Fanny Bay Oysters Shucking Competition.
AHOY! Taste the Bounty of BC’s Waters:
BC’s top chefs and culinary students are set to descend on the alpine resort for three full days of gastronomy – this is any foodie’s dream! The festival’s longest-running event, an elaborate Gala Dinner, boasts 12+ stations and is the best opportunity to taste all the chef’s creations in one sitting. Shucked! is Canada’s largest oyster bar happy hour led by World Champion Oyster Shucker, Patrick McMurray. The Kitchen Party led by Chef JC Felicella and the Junior Culinary Team Canada features an incredible three-course seafood menu. Clam it up! Happy Hour is a fan favourite led by Mac’s Oysters, inviting guests to taste a range of clams, mussels and oysters presented in a myriad of ways. View all the events here.
Musical performances by The Whiskeydicks; Boondock; Time Well Wasted; and the Jeff Drummond Group. From Celtic, world, party, folk, country, rock, and all the greatest hits in between – the Festival has the soundtrack for a fun time.
Get Schooled by a Chef:
Thirteen MasterClasses led by fishy-loving chefs and industry associations invite attendees to elevate their cooking by rolling up their sleeves for an interactive, educational, and fun experience. MasterClasses include BC Oysters; Prawn to be Wild; Happy Endings Geoduck; Seafood Pairing with Cascadia Liquor; Ocean Wise Deep Dive; Wholey Halibut; Follow me Cocktails; Dueling Pairing; Learn to Shuck; Get Seaweed; and Discover Sablefish. Full descriptions and tickets are available here.
“The Comox Valley produces over 50 percent of British Columbia’s shellfish and the most oysters in Canada,” says Chef Ambassador, Ned Bell. “Bringing the BC Seafood Festival to Mount Washington allows the largest seafood festival on the West Coast to have room to grow and shine an even brighter light on the importance of supporting our farmers, fishers and seafood producers in British Columbia.”
Mount Washington offers stunning views of the valley below, along with an incredible roster of outdoor adventure activities and a range of accommodation options, the destination venue allows the festival a depth of indoor and outdoor event hosting options no matter the weather, removes site impacts from the previous location, while also offering an enhanced experience for Festival attendees. And to add to the experience, every BC Seafood Festival guest will receive a FREE Scenic Chair Lift Ride, courtesy of Mount Washington Alpine Resort. A daily shuttle from the base of the mountain is available.
Get involved! There are volunteer and sponsorship opportunities available. Special thanks to the generous sponsors thus far; Mount Washington Alpine Resort; Gordon Food Services; and the Mount Washington Resort Association.
Buy tickets at bcseafoodfestival.com, connect socially at @bcseafoodfest, and tag #BCSeafoodFest
About BC Seafood Festival:
The BC Seafood Festival (formerly the BC Shellfish Festival) began as a single-event dinner developed and hosted by the BC Shellfish Growers Association (BCSGA). The BC Seafood Festival is governed by a volunteer seafood industry lead Board of Directors that helps ensure the focus of the festival is to drive awareness of the importance of the BC seafood industry and its range of producers.
