With crisp air and crunchy leaves, fall is often reminiscent of pumpkin patches, cozy sweaters and spiced apple cider. In the Pacific Northwest, fall also begins a favorable harvest season for a regional delicacy: oysters. For more than four decades, OysterFest has been a premier celebration of the Pacific Northwest’s unique “aquaculture” and robust seafood industry.
Officially dubbed the West Coast Oyster Shucking Championship and Washington State Seafood Festival, OysterFest is hosted by the Shelton Skookum Rotary Club, with the assistance of other civic clubs and nonprofit organizations based in Mason County. The 2026 OysterFest returns on October 3-4 at Port of Shelton Airport’s Sanderson Field.
Sip, Snack and Celebrate the Pacific Northwest Seafood Community at OysterFest
The OysterFest celebration officially kicks off on the evening of Friday, October 2, through OysterFunk. Organized by the Shelton Rotary Club, OysterFunk is a 21+ event, featuring music from the band Stir Crazy and a curated menu of microbrews, wine and cider available for purchase. There will also be seafood dishes available. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a $5 admission fee.
OysterFest’s nonprofit food vendors serve a range of seafood favorites and festival classics on Saturday and Sunday. Scouting America Troop 9110 is set to serve barbecued oysters on the half shell, while the Union City Masonic Lodge #27 will have barbecue smoked pulled pork sliders. There will be traditional wood fire cooked salmon, coleslaw and fry bread from the Squaxin Island Tribal Elders, and Xinh’s curried mussels and shrimp with rice from the Shelton Rotary. Just in time for the fall, there will also be fresh squeezed apple cider from Little Skookum Community Club, caramel apples from Habitat for Humanity of Mason County and pie slices with ice cream from Matlock Grange #357.
The nonprofit food vendors spend considerable time preparing for OysterFest, with support from the Washington State Department of Health, ensuring food that is both delicious and safe. And the proceeds earned by OysterFest’s nonprofit food vendors will help to fund their work in the community.
The 2026 OysterFest Wine Pavillion, organized by the Salish Sea Rotary of Mason County, will serve the finest reds and whites from a wide swath of Pacific Northwest wineries. This includes the 2026 OysterFest Label wines. The 2026 OysterFest “Red” Label is a 2022 Vino Senza Nome red blend from Marchetti Wines. The 2026 OysterFest “White” Label is a 2023 Riesling from Water From Wine.
Janette Stiles, a visual artist based in Union, won the 2026 OysterFest Art Poster Contest with her piece “Treasures of Hood Canal.” Stiles will receive a $500 cash prize, and her work will serve as a “face” of the festival, being featured on the 2026 OysterFest Label of wines, signed posters, and keepsake postcards.
Three wineries are new to the Wine Pavillion this year, including Endless Sound Cellars from Olympia, Hard Hat Winery from Poulsbo and Spruce Hill Winery with a tasting room in Gig Harbor.
The Microwbrew Garden is organized by the Shelton Skookum Rotary Club and will feature a curated selection of microbrews from the Pacific Northwest, including pale ales, ciders, lagers and special seasonal fall flavors.
The Microbrew Garden is also host to the main entertainment stage on Saturday and Sunday, featuring a lineup of local acts including Randy Linder, Lester Crow and The Varmints, all perfect for dancing along. OysterFest will feature a second entertainment stage inside the Bistro, which is open to all ages. The Bistro lineup will include a series of acoustic acts including the Shel-town Strummers, Hilary Scott and the Swing Fever Band.
Celebrate the Best of the Pacific Northwest Through OysterFest’s Annual Oyster Shucking Championship
The 2026 OysterFest will be a weekend full of activities for the whole family, with free admission for children age 17 and under. Must-see events at OysterFest include the renowned Speed Shucking and Half Shell competitions. The Speed Shucking competition, where contestants are tasked with shucking 24 oysters as fast as possible, will take place on Saturday, October 3. The fastest recorded time will win the $500 first place prize. OysterFest attendees will be able to catch multiple heats, generally every hour on the hour, until the concluding round in the late afternoon.
On Sunday, October 4, the Half Shell competition will combine oyster shucking speed and restaurant-ready presentation, with a panel of judges giving special consideration toward the appearance and condition of the shucked oysters. The Half Shell competition will feature categories for professional oyster processors and hospitality/culinary professionals, with each category competing for a $500 first place prize.
In recent years, a group of longtime OysterFest attendees, the Seafood Pirates, have become unofficial mascots of the oyster shucking competition. Donning their best maritime fashions, the Seafood Pirates are ready to once again usher in the celebration, including through their own hilarious round of the oyster shucking competition.
Family-friendly activities include the much-anticipated return of the marine touch tanks, sponsored by the Marine Education Science Society (MESS) as well as a series of games from Little Creek Casino, the Shelton Family YMCA and Verle’s LLC.
The Kristmas Town Kiwanis will provide the popular kiddie train, and the Scouting America Troop 9110 will provide 18-hole mini golf. There will also be magic and balloon animals from Professor Bamboozle, an airsoft gun range from the Mason County Sportsman’s Association and an obstacle course from Hoodsport Fire & EMS.
For those interested in staying through the weekend, OysterFest also offers an RV and dry campground, with two adult OysterFest tickets included with a Friday and Saturday camping reservation.
To learn more about the OysterFest schedule of events, tickets or camping information, visit the OysterFest website.
Sponsored
