The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival is one of Ireland’s best-known food festivals and is widely regarded as the world’s longest-running oyster festival. It was founded in 1954 to celebrate the start of the native Galway oyster season and takes place annually in late September in Galway.

What happens at the festival?

• The Irish Oyster Opening Championship
• The World Oyster Opening Championship (oyster shucking competition)
• Seafood trails across Galway restaurants and pubs
• Oyster farm tours on Galway Bay
• Live music, street entertainment, parades, and cultural events
• Seafood tastings, cooking demonstrations, and gala events

Why it’s famous

Over the decades, the festival has attracted international visitors, chefs, food writers, and competitors from around the world. It has been described as one of Europe's longest-running food festivals and one of Ireland’s most internationally recognized festivals after Saint Patrick's Day.