Whether or not you eat oysters, you’ll enjoy the Lowcountry Oyster Festival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 4 at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the event, which serves as a fundraiser for local charities.
Bring your foldable chairs, strollers, and wagons for the kiddos, along with your oyster knives and gloves for shucking those shellfish. Leave the pets at home, however.
There is plenty to enjoy during the festival. Competitive oyster lovers take part in the raw oyster eating and shucking contests. Entertainers perform live music on the main stage, and there is a Children’s Area with games and activities.
Guests can wash down those oysters with wine, domestic and imported beers, and specialty cocktails.
Oysters are available by the bucket, steamed. Local oysters come from the Edisto area and James River, as well as the Chesapeake Bay area. If you don’t eat oysters, no problem. A food court showcases a variety of local favorite restaurants to satisfy everyone’s taste.
A VIP ticket at $194 gets access to catered unlimited oysters, food, and beverages, seating, and tables. No one under the age of 21 is allowed in the VIP tent. General admission tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the festival at the gate. Children 10 and under get in free with a paying adult. Once inside, food and beverage tickets are available in $2 increments. Food items range from $4-12.
There is no charge for parking. Shuttles run regularly from the parking lot to the festival entrance. Please note that the event has a clear bag policy.
The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is one event you do not want to miss. Book your vacation property now.