Community Corner

10 Reasons To Go To The Milford Oyster Festival This Weekend

On the fence about going? Here are 10 reasons to head down. Hint: One of them is a fairly big name musical act that won't give you the run-around.

This article was written by Jason Bagley.

The Milford Oyster Festival is Saturday, Aug. 17. The annual festival draws upwards of 50,000 people a year. Here are 10 reasons you should be one of them.

1. Live Music Blues Traveler headlines this year’s festival and will hit the main stage behind the library at 3:45 p.m. Opening acts are singer/songwriter Beth Patella at 11:30 a.m., 80s cover band Mullett at 12:30 p.m. and “acoustic funk” guitarist Frank Viele at 2:15 p.m. There’s also a full slate of performers set to play on the Harbor Stage.

2. A Lot of Food Bring your appetite to the 39th annual Milford Oyster Festival. Hot dogs, hamburgers, fried dough, lobster rolls, pulled pork, clam strips, crab cakes, turkey legs, gyros and corn dogs will be just some of the options at the food court. And that's not to mention…

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3. The Oysters Twenty-thousand to be exact, all provided by the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association. The chewy morsels, served raw, grilled or fried, will be available behind the library and at Lisman Landing Harbor Stage on Helwig Street.

4. The Competition An invitation-only oyster-eating competition will feature folks downing dozens of oysters in record time. The competition starts at 2 p.m. on the Oyster Stage behind the library. Before that the first of two heats of an oyster-shucking contest kicks off at 12:15 p.m. The second heat is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. First place shucker gets $1,000.

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5. Water Races Choose your vessel and start paddling. Or just watch it all from dry ground. A canoe and kayak race at the Milford Boat Launch behind the library begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration will be open on race day for $20.

6. Big Toys Professional BMX stunt bike riders, extreme bungee, rock climbing, obstacle courses, slap shot hockey, outdoor bowling. That’s some of what will be going on all day Saturday at Armory Square, located in the parking lot behind Archie Moore’s. The festival has dubbed the area Big Toys.

7. Car and Motorcycle Show Classic cars and choppers will be on display at Lisman Landing from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival is inviting owners of pre-50s antique, 50s customs and 60s and 70s muscle cars to show off their rides. Trophies will be awarded and pre-registration is not required. Entry fee is $20.

8. Local Biz Benefits The Milford Oyster Festival hosts 70-plus civic groups that are located throughout the downtown and harbor areas. For many of them, the festival is the most important awareness and fundraising event of the year.

9. Arts and Crafts Show One of the state's largest arts and crafts gatherings happens every year at the Milford Oyster Festival. More than 200 artists and artisans are expected to display wares on the Milford Green.

10. It's Free No cost to get in. 

For more on the 39th annual Milford Oyster Festival, visit their website.

For your convenience, a map provided by festival organizers has been attached to this article as a PDF.

Information on parking can be read here.


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