The Clayoquot Oyster Festival is a memorable celebration of one of the ocean’s most coveted culinary delights, the oyster. As a region Clayoquot Sound is a great cultivator and consumer of this special bivalve, annually grow ing over 50,000 gallons of oysters a year and over the festival weekend slurping back over 8,000. It is for this reason that from November 17-20, 2011 the community of Tofino in beautiful Clayoquot Sound will go to great lengths to honour the humble oyster.
This year will be the 15th year for the much anticipated Clayoquot Oyster Festival so many toasts will be made with oysters in hand during oyster farm tours, oyster and wine tastings, educational seminars, the Mermaid’s Ball on Friday November 18th, and of course the ever popular and decadent Oyster Gala on Saturday November 19th. Costumes, slurping contests, abundant oyster eating and lots of great music are what make this festival so special for those that live here and the welcomed visitors who join us for these celebratory days.
The SoBo Oyster Trio
Thu Nov 18th, 2010
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
SoBo Restaurant 311 Neill St @ 1st st
During the entire Clayoquot Oyster Festival (Nov.18-20) stop into SoBo Restaurant anytime to sample their unique Oyster Trio dish. This trifecta of memorable flavours truly showcases the culinary versatility of the humble oyster. On one plate chef/owner Lisa Ahier presents some of her favourite oyster preparations consisting of a classic raw oyster, a japanese influenced broiled oyster with Miso Mayo and Salmon bacon and an eclectic fried hemp seed crusted oyster topped with avocado ice cream.
Oysterman Reception
Fri Nov 19th, 2010
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Driftwood Lounge at the Wick, Beach Building
Join Oysterman Brent Petkau for a cocktail-type reception in the beautiful Driftwood Lounge at the Wickaninnish Inn. Oysters are paired with wine and beer. What a perfect prelude to the Mermaid’s Ball! There are only 50 tickets available to see the colourful oysterman in action and to sample some of this country’s finest oysters.
The Mermaid’s Ball
Fri Nov 19th, 2010
9:00 PM
Tofino’s Community Centre
The Mermaid’s Ball is a costume party themed Under the Sea. Wine and beer tasting from 9:00PM – 9:30PM accompanied by and an evening of delectably abundant raw oysters and a seafood bbq in the notorious ‘Oyster Pit’! Great prizes for Best Male Costume, Best Female Costume, Best Couple Costume and Best Oyster Slurper! Door pizes too! And lots of dancing to the music of Banana Fish Dance Orchestra. In addition the event this year will be welcoming a respectable brulesque show as a compliment to the natural aphrodisiac that the oyster is. This evening will be like an underwater version of halloween with oysters everywhere.
Clayoquot Sound Oyster Farm Tours
Sat Nov 20th, 2010
9:30 AM
Remote Passages’ Boathouse @ Wharf Street
Looking to learn more about oysters? Take a ride up Lemmens Inlet to an oyster farm and watch real oyster farmers at work. Taste a sea-fresh oyster right off the line; you may even learn to open an oyster like a pro! Tour is about 1.5 hours; a.m. departures only.
Oyster Gala
Sat Nov 20th, 2010
7:00 PM
Tofino’s Community Centre
The Oyster Gala, an outstanding grand finale, will wrap up the weekend on Saturday night. Oysters any way you like them, wine, slurping, dancing and more. Local restaurants will present their inspired oyster dishes for all to indulge. Naturally we will feature wine from all over BC as well as beer and cider from the island. And we’ll dance till the wee hours to the sound of the Continentals Swing Band. This event is 75% sold out already so get your tickets fast so you can be part of this magical Clayoquot evening.
