The SC Oyster Festival is a lot more than oysters

The S.C. Oyster Festival is happening Sunday, Nov. 19, at the Robert Mills House and Gardens. The main event? You guessed it.

Oyster lovers can enjoy steamed oysters, oyster shooters, fried oysters, oyster gumbo and a whole wealth of other delicious oyster dishes.

Vendors have realized over the years that oyster lovers are a loyal crowd, said Shawn Rankin. He owns Liquid Assets, which produces the festival.

“There will be a line for oysters, so come early,” he said.

Here are a few more reasons you might want to attend:

1. You get a whole lot for a small admission fee.

Although the cost of admission doesn’t cover oysters, the ticket ($5 in advance or $10 at the door) includes access to the historic house museum’s grounds, live music on two stages all day, and a large variety of arts and crafts displays.

Items for sale include oyster-related art and specialty oyster tools from Charleston-area vendors like Low Country Shuckers.

And, of course, oysters. Steamed oyster buckets will be on sale for $10, thanks to Pearlz Oyster Bar. (If you go to the restaurant and order a dozen house oysters – steamed or on the half-shell – you’ll pay $16.95, or $12 during happy hour.)

RELATED: Another local place to get oysters.

Kids can enjoy a special activity area provided by Palmetto Amusements for a nominal fee.

2. Even if you don’t like oysters, the food selection is downright indulgent.

If oysters aren’t your thing, the alternative cuisine offers impressive variety.

It’s “pretty much a little bit of everything,” Rankin said.

This year, the festival will feature Indian food; popular staples like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers; whole pineapples with slushies inside; Mexican food from San Jose; Gullah cuisine (alligator bites!); barbecue; teriyaki chicken and more.

RELATED: How to eat an oyster.

3. You can pair oysters with about any adult beverage you crave.

Featured sponsors like Stella Artois are offering a wide menu of adult beverage selections, not to mention a couple of other special attractions for grown-up festivalgoers. If you prefer a cold beer with your oysters, there’s a whole separate truck with craft and seasonal brews. If you’re not a beer drinker, venture into the wine garden, a separate tented area showcasing a variety of different wines.

4. It’s a historically fun setting.

Now in its 22nd year, the Oyster Festival is in its original home at Historic Columbia. Executive director Robin Waites said that the oyster festival has been a great way to attract new visitors to the Roberts Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion, which have been “totally transformed” over the last decade.

“The grounds have always been great open green spaces,” Waites said, “but now with historically accurate plants and garden ornaments, as well as wayside signs throughout, people can relax outdoors and learn a little bit about South Carolina’s capital city.”

Rankin said it’s especially fun to wander the garden pathways at the Robert Mills House and learn the history behind the homes.

“It’s cool to see that history come back alive,” he said.

Historic Columbia is offering discounted house tours – just $2 – from 2 to 4 p.m.

5. You’ll be shucking for a cause.

A portion of the festival’s proceeds will be donated to God’s Storehouse, a faith-based outreach program for Columbia residents in need, and PAALS (it stands for Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services), a nonprofit that helps train and provide service dogs to people with varying abilities.

Rankin said that the festival not only provides these charities with a financial contribution, but also a platform for awareness.

“We feel like both of these organizations are very important, and we want to support them as much as possible,” he said.

This story was originally published November 15, 2017 at 12:41 PM with the headline "The SC Oyster Festival is a lot more than oysters."