Thousands attend 43rd Oyster Festival

Thousands attend 43rd annual Oyster Festival

Oysters were delivered by the truckload to supply the main event of the 43rd Oyster Festival Saturday.

MILFORD » Oysters were delivered by the truckload to supply the main event of the 43rd Oyster Festival Saturday, with thousands hungry for a sampling of the biggest oyster festival around.

Large crowds attended the day-long festival with the largest variety of oysters of any festival in the U.S., according to the festival website. The Milford Oyster Festival had about 41,000 oysters from eight states on the east coast and also about 6,000 clams.

Under five tents, festival-goers chose from 21 varieties of oysters. They included Chesapeake Gold oysters and Rappahannock River oysters. The selection represented growers from Maine to Virginia. All the selections were provided by members of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, which consists of more than 1,000 farmers who provide sustainably farmed shellfish.

At the “Grab and Go” bar, people could get a plate with a mix of preselected oysters. Firsttime festival attendees Camila and Patrick Souza said the selection was “delicious.”

Milford residents Austin Hill and Jon Mix, who are new to the area, heard the city was best known for their oyster festival every year and said they wanted to see what it had to offer.

“It’s definitely a great place to come,” Mix said. “You get to see and try different oysters. It’s a great spot and of course we’re going to come back next year.”

Hill said it was the best time he has had in Connecticut so far.

Toward the end of the day, there were still more oysters to shuck. Oysters can be eaten on the half shell, raw, boiled, baked, fried, roasted or steamed. There are over 100 species and traditionally oysters are named after the body of water or bay in which they are grown because it’s the water that gives them their distinct flavors. The largest oysterproducing body of water is Chesapeake Bay.

Along with sampling oysters and clams, festival-goers walked the town green exploring a variety of vendor tents. Handmade jewelry, Italian ice and freshsqueezed lemonade were only a few of the tents attendees visited. And many tried their hand at soaking the Milford Fire Department firefighters in a dunk tank for charity.

PETER HVIZDAK / HEARST CONNECTICUT MEDIA Milford, Connecticut: Saturday. Jacqueline Swanson and her husband Roger, of Southington eat oysters together Saturday afternoon during their first visit to the Milford Oyster Festival in Milford. For a slideshow, visit PHOTOS.NEWHAVENREGISTER.COM

PETER HVIZDAK / HEARST CONNECTICUT MEDIA Milford, Connecticut: Saturday. With East Point Oysters lined at his side and a knife in his hand, Honor Allen of Florida, right, waits for Ben Goetsch, a Connecticut board member of the East Coast Shellfish Association, left, to signal the start of...

PETER HVIZDAK / HEARST CONNECTICUT MEDIA Milford, Connecticut: Saturday. Hudson Bombery, 10, of Naugatuck, beats the heat and finds some shade under an oyster shucking table Saturday afternoon at the Milford Oyster Festival in Milford.

(PETER HVIZDAK / HEARST CONNECTICUT MEDIA) Milford, Connecticut: Saturday. Taylor Johnston of New York City, left, Katie Suffredini of West Haven, center, and Jared Hawly of New Haven, right, eat Oysters at the Milford Oyster Festival in Milford.