Milford Oyster Festival, sometimes shortened to "Oysterfest," is an annual cultural festival held on the third Saturday of August throughout the city of Milford, Connecticut. As a major tourist attraction, billed as the largest one-day festival in the New England regionBrooks, Patricia and Lester Brooks. Food Lovers' Guide to Connecticut. Globe Pequot, 2007. , and listed among the top 10 annual events in Connecticut,Top 10 Events in Connecticut . Top Events USA. the Oyster Festival draws over 50,000 attendees each year.McCready, Brian. "Come out of that shell for Milford Oyster Festival; entertainment for the whole family ." New Haven Register. Friday, August 20, 2010. It is planned by the non-profit organization Annual Milford Oyster Festival, inc. (AMOF), largely run by volunteers.

The festival hosts a wide variety of activities for all ages, including arts, crafts, music, sports, amusement rides, food, and oyster shucking."Milford Oyster Festival: Soul Asylum tops bill at annual event ." Connecticut Post. Tuesday, August 17, 2010.Juliano, Frank. "Oysters take center stage at Milford festival ." Connecticut Post. Saturday, August 21, 2010

History

The first Milford Oyster Festival was held on the Milford Green and Fowler Field on 23 August 1975.Albright, John B. "Notes: Bargains in U.S. For Foreign Tourists; Notes: Skytrain Runs Into Snag ." The New York Times. August 10, 1975. Major founders of the oysterfest include Diano Nytko, first chairperson of the Milford Chamber of Commerce,Milford Chamber Through the Years, 1954–2004 Milford Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and Robert N. Cooke, for whom the Bob Cooke Skin Cancer Foundation was named.ROBERT N. COOKE Bob Cooke Skin Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Since then the oyster festival has become firmly established as an annual Milford tradition, held rain or shine."Milford Oyster Festival 2010 ." Daily Postal. August 21, 2010Misur, Susan. "Annual Oyster Festival draws thousands in Milford ." New Haven Register. Sunday, August 22, 2010 In the past, the oysterfest was held over two days, but that proved to be too much a burden on the organizers.Guerrera, Lori A. "32nd Annual Milford Oyster Festival Saturday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.." Milford Weekly. August 17, 2006.

While initially established as an oyster festival, the presence of actual oysters gradually faded after some time and were absent for many years outside of the festival's name. In 2005, oysters returned to the festival, provided by the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association."Successful Milford Oyster Festival 2006 ." ECSGA Newsletter- Volume 2:06. November 30, 2006. They have been there ever since.

Starting in 2009, Milford began requiring that the non-profit AMOF reimburse the city, which spends $30,000–50,000 to host the festival each year. As a result of this decision, AMOF could no longer allow other local non-profits to sell beer at the event, as it is a major source of income for many of the non-profits. This led Alderman Ben Blake to express concern that the festival may "lose its local flavor" as "nonprofit groups [are driven] out of the Oyster Festival food court."Tinley, James. "Oyster festival will have only 1 beer vendor ." New Haven Register. Friday, April 9, 2010.

In 2019 and resuming in 2021, all oysters in the festival are harvested from Milford waters, provided by Briarpatch Enterprises, Inc.

The 2020 festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival will be held as usual in 2021. Although no festival was held in the previous year, which would have been the 46th, the festival committee decided to refer to the 2021 festival the 47th Annual Milford Oyster Festival "to recognize the year that didn't occur." In 2025, due to rising costs and a lack of volunteers the organizers of the Oyster Festival decided to turn the event into a evening only event on Fowler Field.

Musical acts Every festival also includes a headliner band.

Headliner by year

2024 — Little Feat, Living Color, Lead Singers of Classic Rock - Jason Scheff and Tommy DeCarlo 2023 — Lou Gramm 2022 — Scott Stapp 2021 - Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes 2020 – NONE 2019 — Badfish, The Cringe, Extreme 2018 — Eddie Money, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band 2017 — Blackberry Smoke 2016 — Blue Öyster Cult 2015 — Gin Blossoms 2014 — Bret Michaels 2013 — Blues Traveler 2012 — Kansas 2011 — The Marshall Tucker Band 2010 — Soul Asylum 2009 — John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band 2008 — Foghat 2007 — The SmithereensThe Smithereens Announce More Tour Dates! . Marketwire . Mar. 12, 2007 07:22 PM 2006 — The Spin Doctors 2005 — Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes 2004 — Blue Öyster Cult 2003 — Marshall Tucker Band 2002 — Voices of Classic Rock (Spencer Davis, Dave Jenkins, Larry Hoppen, Joe Lynn Turner, Ronnie Hammond, and Dennis Frederiksen) 2001 — Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad), with opening act Cubistic Jack 2000 — Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 1999 — Starship 1996 — Arlo Guthrie

Fundraising Many local and regional businesses, non-profits, and governmental groups have sponsored the event, including NBC Universal, TD Bank, and Whole Foods Market.

Money raised by AMOF during the festival has been donated for charitable purposes. In 2010, the major fundraiser of the festival was for Gulf coast fishing communities, whose oyster industries were struggling after being shut down by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.Yannetti, Terri. "Oyster Festival to aid Gulf Coast oyster industry ." Milford-Orange Bulletin. Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

Notable participants

Jodi Rell, the 72nd governor of Connecticut, attended the 2008 festival.Gov. Rell with Nanci Seltzer at the Milford Oyster Festival YouTube. August 25, 2008 Linda McMahon, a Republican politician, plunged a firefighter in a dunk tank in the "dunk your favorite firefighter" festival activity during her 2010 campaign for a seat in the US Senate for Connecticut."Behind the Scenes on the Campaign Trail with Linda McMahon ." Fox News. Tuesday, August 24, 2010. John A. Smith, a world-traveling sailor and writer, wrote, "It's kind of sad to hear that none of the oysters at the recent 'Oyster Festival' were from local waters and that most of the oyster boats are now in museums," in his book of travels Little Fish Big Pond while talking about Milford as his home town.Smith, John A. Little Fish Big Pond. iUniverse, 2003. . Page 22. (Note: In 2019 & resuming in 2021, all oysters at festival are from Milford waters.)

Surrounding events On the Friday evening before the oysterfest, there is a surrounding event called "Oyster Eve," which includes activities such as dancing, dining, and a 90-minute cruise on an schooner around the Long Island Sound. Around 1,500 people came to downtown Milford for Oyster Eve in 2010.

In 2010, the Daniel Street nightclub began hosting what they dubbed the "Inaugural Oyster Festival After Party" on the evening after the main events close. This year completes years. There was no 2020 after party.

See also Norwalk Oyster Festival Oyster festival

References

External links Official website