All you need to know about the 2026 Oyster Fest in Oyster Bay

October is here, which means Oyster Fest is on the horizon. The 43rd annual event, run by the Town of Oyster Bay with the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, is expected to draw more than 150,000 people to Audrey Avenue and Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay when it returns on Oct. 17 and 18, organizers say.

"The Oyster Fest keeps getting bigger and better every year. This has become one of the largest seafood festivals in America and we are incredibly proud of that," Town Supervisor Joe Saladino says. "We have a maritime history that dates back before the American Revolution."

OYSTERS EVERYWHERE

More than 70,000 oysters are sold at each festival and every single one comes from Long Island waters.

"Our oysters are grown in Peconic Bay, Great South Bay and Moriches Bay," Eric Koepele, owner of North Fork Big Oyster farm and president of the Long Island Oyster Growers Association, says. "The Peconic oysters tend to be brinier with a little bit more mineral, the Great South Bay’s Blue Point oysters are consistently meaty and the oysters from Moriches are in between."

Local oyster farms like Oysterponds Farm, Hampton Oyster Company, Davy Jones Oysters, Peconic Gold Oysters, North Fork Big Oyster, Lucky 13 Oysters, Maris Stella Oysters, Neguntatogue Oysters, Deep Water Oyster Co. and more are set to participate in this year’s festival. Oysters will be served raw on the half shell as well as grilled, fried, Rockefeller style, in chowder and in po’boy sandwiches.

The oysters will not only be for consumption but are also used for competition in the Oyster Shucking and Eating Contests on Oct. 17 at 1:35 p.m. on the Main Stage in the park.

MORE FOOD AND BEER

Oysters are not the only star of the show as a wide array of seafood will be available including scallops, calamari, octopus salad, fried clam strips, king crab legs, lobster rolls, lobster quesadilla, ahi tuna and shrimp tacos.

Not a seafood fan? No problem. The Food Court offers Greek cuisine, Cuban sandwiches, empanadas, mozzarepas, Korean barbecue, Oktoberfest fare, calzones, rice balls, burritos, bánh mì, kielbasa, sausage and pepper heros, burgers, hot dogs, roasted corn, cheesesteaks and turkey legs.

Wash it all down with some craft brews in the Beer Garden overlooking Oyster Bay Harbor where those 21 and over can enjoy seasonal selections from Oyster Bay Brewing Company such as Barn Rocker Ale, Honey Ale, Oyster Bay IPA and Pumpkin Ale served with a cinnamon sugar rim.

LIVE MUSIC

Throughout the two days of the Oyster Fest, there will be live music performed across two stages, one in the park and another on Audrey Avenue.

On Oct. 17, the park stage welcomes The LP’s (11 a.m.), That 70’s Band (12:05 p.m.), Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band Sons of Skynyrd (2:35 p.m.), Chris Stapleton tribute band Simply Stapleton (3:25 p.m.) and Journey tribute band Anyway You Want It (5 p.m.).

Over at the Audrey Avenue Stage on Oct. 17, the bill features local artists like the Sea Cliff Porch Pickers (11 a.m.), Danielle Gatto (12:15 p.m.), Iridesense (1:30 p.m.), Drop The 4 (2:45 p.m.), Circus Mind (4 p.m.) and the Kelli Baker Band (5 p.m.).

On Oct. 18, the park stage sees Bon Jovi tribute band Bad Medicine (11 a.m.), Vinyl Revival (12:15 p.m.), Beach Boys tribute band Endless Summer (1:30 p.m.), Toby Keith tribute band The American Ride (2:45 p.m.) and Ready in 10 (4:05 p.m.).

Audrey Avenue presents local artists on Oct. 18 including Crisis (11 a.m.), Arianna Chetram (noon), Rob Eberle (12:45 p.m.), the Mark Newman Band (1:45 p.m.), Carolyn Miller (3 p.m.) and MJT (4 p.m.).

ACTIVITIES AND SHOPPING

West End Avenue gets filled with activities for children from the left side of the entrance down to the pier.

The U.S. Army will present a climbing wall while the New York Islanders offer a blow-up slap shot booth. Tesla brings in a new art activation with a Cybertruck where kids dip their hand in their choice of colored paint then put their handprint on the truck.

The Kings of the Coast pirate show occurs twice a day at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. down by The Christeen oyster sloop. This year’s production, "The Curse of the Watery Witch," is very interactive.

"All kids are part of the crew," Thomas McKenna, who plays Black Jack Callan, says. "We go down to the beach, dig up a treasure chest, bring it back to our camp, open it up and share the loot."

Get some early Christmas shopping done at the arts and crafts tents where close to 100 locals artisans sell handcrafted items.

"This is stuff you are not going to see anywhere else," Patty Stewart, arts and crafts coordinator, says.