Welcome to the oldest oyster festival in the world and the most internationally recognised Irish festival after St Patrick’s Day. Deemed one of Europe’s longest-running food extravaganzas, the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival was launched in September 1954.
Over the last 70 years, the Irish food festival has featured prominently in the media including Bon Appétit Magazine, BBC Good Food, Food & Wine magazine, Easy Food Magazine, Time Magazine, Travel & Leisure Magazine, Conde Nast, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Image Magazine, Fodors, The Lonely Planet Guide and The Rough Guide amongst many, many more.
It has been described by the Sunday Times as “one of the 12 greatest shows on earth” and was listed in the AA Travel Guide one of Europe’s Seven Best Festivals.
The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival is held on the very last weekend in September to celebrate Galway’s rich annual oyster harvest (in season from September – April). The festival tent is now located at Nimmo’s Pier, Galway City, just a 10 miniute drive from The Twelve.