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Galway International Oyster Festival

Name: Galway International Oyster Festival
Start: 2026-09-25
End: 2026-09-26
Location: Galway

The 72nd Galway International Oyster Festival is a renowned seafood festival held in Galway, Ireland, focusing on the native oyster. It features the World Oyster Opening Championship, where national champions compete, and also includes national shucking heats, attracting international visitors and bivalve enthusiasts.

Date: Sep 25-26, 2026
Location: Galway
Status: Recently ended

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Event summary

Highlights

World Oyster Opening Championship
National oyster shucking heats
Celebration of the Galway native oyster
Attracts international visitors

The Galway International Oyster Festival, in its 72nd edition, is a celebrated event for oyster lovers and culinary enthusiasts. The festival features both national and international oyster shucking competitions. Heats to select the Irish finalist for the World Oyster Opening Championship are typically held on Friday night, followed by the international final on Saturday afternoon in Galway.

The competition requires contestants to shuck 30 Galway native oysters – a variety noted for being technically difficult to open – at speed, arranging them neatly with a clean shuck, no shell fragments, and no blood. The festival attracts visitors from around the globe, some traveling significant distances to participate or experience the event, which has been recognized as the best autumn festival in Europe, ahead of Oktoberfest.

Practical details

Location described by the source: Galway; www.irishtimes.com
Area for browsing nearby events: Galway

Before attending

Check the sources below for current opening times, admission prices and registration requirements. A date range does not mean the event runs continuously or that admission is free.