Founded in 1954, the award winning Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival will celebrate its 70th birthday in 2024, which will also mark the 10th year that Galway-based creative production company Milestone Inventive has produced the event, returning it to strong growth in recent years. Galway has a lot to celebrate!

The Festival continues to captivate more and more oyster enthusiasts and cultural aficionados from around the world each year.

Natives. Flats. Native flats. Ostrea edulis – whatever you call our native oysters – are as much a part of Ireland’s food fabric and history as our butter. Fatty yet not fatty. Nutty without any nuts. A hint of citrus without any fruit. And that unequalled lingering sweet iodine flavour. There is nothing quite like the Irish native oyster.

This year’s Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival runs from 27th – 29th of September 2024, an iconic festival, 70 years in the making, celebrating a long-standing Irish tradition thousands of years old.

Galway, the country, and this renowned festival may all have changed over those 70 years but what the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival celebrates is timeless – that unchanging Irish tradition and treasure, and the ongoing pleasure given by those delectable delicacies.

These authentic Irish coastal treasures are coveted everywhere from the bistros and brasseries of Paris, all the way to China. Pair with brown bread, butter and a pint of stout or a glass of bone-dry white wine for a truly unforgettable Irish food experience.

Enthusiasts from every corner of the world descend to the city of Galway during the last weekend of September to immerse in an action-packed 3-day event, based in the established festival marquee on Nimmo’s Pier. Overlooking the iconic Long Walk, the festival kicks off on the evening of Friday 27th September, with music and dancing on either side of the annual National Oyster Opening Championships event. Serious competition and a serious party!

Saturday 28th September brings the core unmissable event, the World Oyster Opening Championship, commencing with a lively parade of competitors weaving its way through the narrow medieval streets of Galway City down to Nimmo’s Pier. Oyster openers from all over the world showcase their unique technique, talent, and precision as they battle it out through the intense excitement for the World title.

The ‘Party of Champions’ on Saturday evening is a highlight of the festival calendar where revellers and competitors gather to celebrate our newly crowned victor whilst enjoying oysters and bubbles all the while showcasing their best moves on the dance floor to a jam-packed live music programme. To avail of 10% off ticket prices for the Party of Champions, use the promotional code – THISISGALWAY24 

Sunday at Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival is Féile Bia Na Mara – Wild Atlantic Tastes – a free family day of live music, cooking demonstrations, environmental talks and childrens’ workshops.

“Our iconic event has had accolades from the international food and travel media for many years,” says Maria Moynihan Lee, producer of the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, “a recent highlight having been awarded Best Irish Festival at the 2024 Irish Hospitality Awards and Best Food Festival at the Irish Travel Trade Network travel2ireland awards.”

Welcoming both awards, Milestone Inventive Managing Director, Maria Moynihan Lee said: “What a way to kick off our 70th anniversary year! This is a credit to the founders and custodians of the festival over the past 70 years and in particular to the team that has built it back up into the tremendous attraction that it has once again become in the past 10 years. Our hotel and restaurant partners have maintained their steadfast support through all of this time and we could not do it without them.”

So come out of your shell – sorry! – and join the oldest and longest-running food festival in Ireland celebrating our most prized edible treasure. Tickets for all events are available at the Festival Box Office www.galwayoysterfestival.com.