Fresh Oyster Platter

Festivals allow communities to show off their proud wares, celebrate the area’s bounty, and even educate neighbouring communities (read: the world) about how they spend their time the rest of the year. Tofino, BC will be doing just that with their 12th Annual Clayoquot Oyster Festival.

Running from Thursday, November 20, 2008 and wrapping up on Saturday, November 22 with the sold out Oyster Gala, the festival is a celebration of the abundance and beauty of the sea. Over 50,000 gallons of Pacific Oysters (Crassiostrea gigas) are harvested from the Clayoquot Sound waters every year, with most, if not all, of them produced in oyster farms. And, by the sounds of it, a good amount of these oysters are to be consumed during the celebration. Yum.

The festival kicks off with the Oyster and Bubbles White Party at the Long Beach Lodge, followed by two more fun-filled days of farm tours, educational seminars, oyster tasting menus with parings of wine at the Wickanninish Inn and sake at the Shelter Restaurant, with the Mermaid’s Ball on Friday evening.

If you’ll be in the Tofino area, here’s your chance to see what folks in that area been up to this year.