Oyster Feast facts for kids
The Oyster Feast is a very old and special event that happens every year in Colchester, a town in Essex, England. It's one of the most important days for the town's leaders and citizens. This feast celebrates the long history of catching oysters in the local waters.
Colchester's Special Oysters
People have been catching oysters in the River Colne near Colchester since the time of the Roman Empire! This ancient tradition was even written about in the Domesday Book, a famous record from over 900 years ago.
The town of Colchester got special permission to catch oysters from King Richard I way back in 1189. This permission was called a Royal Charter. The oysters caught here are known as "Colchester Natives." They are a special type of oyster called Ostrea edulis.
Starting the Oyster Season
Every year, on the first Friday of September, the oyster fishing season officially begins. The Mayor of Colchester, who is the town's main leader, along with other important town officials, goes out onto the water. They travel on a special boat called an oyster dredger into the Pyefleet Channel, near Mersea Island.
They wear their special formal clothes, called "civic regalia." Many smaller boats filled with guests follow them. On the water, they make promises to be loyal to the King or Queen. Then, the Mayor catches the very first oyster of the season and eats it! After this, everyone enjoys a special oyster lunch to celebrate the start of the season.
The Grand Oyster Feast
The main event, the Oyster Feast, takes place on the last Friday of October each year. The Mayor of Colchester hosts a big party in the Moot Hall, which is a historic building in the town.
Important people from all over the country come to the feast. Famous artists and entertainers also attend. The Mayor also invites people from Colchester who do good work for local charities and the community. There's even a public lottery, so any citizen of Colchester has a chance to get a ticket to this exciting event!
The feast started a long time ago, connected to a fair called the St Denis Fair in the 1300s. The modern Oyster Feast, as we know it today, began in 1845. It was brought into the town's official events by Mayor Thomas Wolton.
