Milford Oyster Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milford Oyster Festival |
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2006 Milford Oyster Festival Banner
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| Genre | cultural festival |
| Date(s) | Third Saturday in August |
| Begins | 10:00 A.M. EDT (UTC-4) |
| Ends | 6:00 P.M. EDT |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Milford, Connecticut, USA |
| Years active | 49 |
| Inaugurated | Saturday, 23 August 1975 |
| Most recent | Saturday, August 17, 2024 |
| Participants | 50,000-60,000 annual approx. |
| Website | http://www.milfordoysterfestival.org/ |
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The Milford Oyster Festival, also called "Oysterfest," is a fun yearly event. It happens on the third Saturday of August in Milford, Connecticut. This festival is a big deal for tourists. It's known as the largest one-day festival in the New England area. It's also one of the top 10 yearly events in Connecticut!
Each year, over 50,000 people come to the Oyster Festival. It is organized by a group called Annual Milford Oyster Festival, Inc. This group is a non-profit, which means they don't aim to make money. Many volunteers help make the festival happen.
The festival has lots of activities for everyone. You can find arts, crafts, and live music. There are also sports, rides, and plenty of food. And of course, there's oyster shucking!
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History of the Oyster Festival
The very first Milford Oyster Festival took place on August 23, 1975. It was held on the Milford Green and Fowler Field. Two important people who helped start the festival were Diano Nytko and Robert N. Cooke.
Since then, the Oyster Festival has become a yearly tradition in Milford. It happens no matter the weather, rain or shine! In the past, the festival used to last for two days. But this was too much work for the people who organized it. So, they changed it back to one day.
Even though it's called the "Oyster Festival," for many years there weren't many real oysters there. But in 2005, oysters made a big comeback! The East Coast Shellfish Growers Association started providing them. Now, oysters are a regular part of the festival again.
In 2009, the city of Milford started asking the festival organizers to pay them back. The city spends about $30,000 to $50,000 each year to host the event. Because of this, the festival group couldn't let other local non-profit groups sell drinks anymore. Selling drinks was a big way for many of these groups to raise money. Some people worried that the festival might "lose its local flavor" because of this change.
The festival did not happen in 2020.
Music at the Festival
Every year, a famous band or musician performs at the festival. This main performer is called the "headliner."
Past Headliner Bands
- 2019 — Badfish, The Cringe, Extreme
- 2018 — Eddie Money, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
- 2017 — Blackberry Smoke
- 2016 — Blue Öyster Cult
- 2015 — Gin Blossoms
- 2014 — Bret Michaels
- 2013 — Blues Traveler
- 2012 — Kansas
- 2011 — The Marshall Tucker Band
- 2010 — Soul Asylum
- 2009 — John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
- 2008 — Foghat
- 2007 — The Smithereens
- 2006 — The Spin Doctors
- 2005 — Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
- 2004 — Blue Öyster Cult
- 2003 — Marshall Tucker Band
- 2002 — Voices of Classic Rock (Spencer Davis, Dave Jenkins, Larry Hoppen, Joe Lynn Turner, Ronnie Hammond, and Dennis Frederiksen)
- 2001 — Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad), with opening act Cubistic Jack
- 2000 — Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- 1999 — Jefferson Starship
Supporting the Festival
Many local and bigger businesses help support the festival. These include companies like NBC Universal, TD Bank, and Whole Foods Market. They are called sponsors.
The money that the festival organizers raise is often given to help good causes. For example, in 2010, a lot of money was raised to help Gulf coast fishing communities. Their oyster businesses were having a hard time after a big oil spill.
Famous Visitors
Some well-known people have visited the Milford Oyster Festival.
- Jodi Rell was the governor of Connecticut. She attended the festival in 2008.
- Linda McMahon is a politician. In 2010, she took part in a "dunk your favorite firefighter" game. This was during her campaign to become a US Senator for Connecticut.
- John A. Smith is a sailor and writer. He wrote about Milford in his book Little Fish Big Pond. He mentioned that it was sad that the oysters at the festival weren't from local waters.
Other Festival Events
The night before the main Oyster Festival, there's a special event called "Oyster Eve." This evening includes dancing and dining. You can also take a 90-minute boat ride on a large schooner around the Long Island Sound. In 2010, about 1,500 people came to downtown Milford for Oyster Eve.
In 2010, a local club also started hosting an "Oyster Festival After Party." This party happened on the evening after the main festival closed.
