Shuck, slurp, repeat: S.C. Oyster Festival is Sunday
It’s time to shuck and slurp your way into seafood nirvana.
At the 20th annual S.C. Oyster Festival, 10,000 pounds of fresh oysters will be served as the half-shelled backbone to Columbia’s largest outdoor oyster roast. Pearlz Oyster Bar of Columbia will provide the delicious mollusks.
Historic Columbia will host the event, a fundraiser for its programs, at two of its most beautiful house museums: the Hampton-Preston and Robert Mills houses.
“It is a very popular and family-friendly event,” said Dickson Monk, director of marketing for Historic Columbia. “They go through a massive amount of oysters. Last year it rained, and there was still a large turnout. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Pearlz will be selling buckets of steamed oysters for $10, while other vendors will sell oysters prepared in various ways. Think oyster shooters, fried oysters and even oyster gumbo. There are other food vendors, too, along with a selection of beers sponsored by Budweiser of Columbia and a wine garden featuring Rex Goliath wines.
There’s entertainment, too, featuring live music on two stages, a bevy of craft vendors and even inflatables for the kids. Tour the museum homes at a reduced rate.
Essentially, you’re only asked to bring four things to the event to guarantee a good time: a chair, a blanket, your oyster knife and, most importantly, your appetite.
Dwaun Sellers, dsellers@thestate.com
If you go
20th annual S.C. Oyster Festival
WHEN: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22
WHERE: Robert Mills House and Gardens, 1616 Blanding St., and Hampton-Preston Mansion, 1615 Blanding St.
ON STAGE: Among scheduled music performers are Dave Britt Acoustic, Rival Brothers, Nick Cleburne, The Distributors, Josh Roberts and Bobby Sutton.
COST: General admission, $5, through Saturday, Nov. 21 on the website, or $10 the day of the event; children under age 12 are free. Admission price does not include oysters.
INFO: www.scoysterfest.com
A guide to eating oysters
Some do’s and don’ts, from Bon Appetit:
DO:
▪ Eat with your eyes first. A healthy oyster fills out the sturdy shell with fat, firm meat.
▪ An oyster should be swimming in the shell, never dry.
▪ Order a few of the same type. Give yourself multiple tastes to identify its character.
▪ Beware of oysters that are thin, watery, snotty, or contain a lot of tissue.
DON’T:
▪ Slurp-and-swallow. Chew two or three times.
▪ Think all oysters are the same. Most East Coast oysters are the same species (Virginica), but taste different depending on origin and season.
▪ Drown oysters in toppings. Always eat the first one “naked.”