Wellfleet OysterFest

First of many times enjoying the festival. What an amazing experience! From the efficient shuttle rides to the wonderful vendors... everyone was so friendly. The oysters were delicious,the beers were cold and the entertainment amazing! I can't wait for the results of the shucking contest!

Excellent festival! We come every year. So many oysters to try. Lots of beer and other good eats. Super clean and very well done. People are always friendly, a great family outing!

This was one of the BEST festivals. Came down from North Maine. Will be be there next year for sure!!!

I’m very sad over the decline of oysterfest. Years ago it was a fun time, free admission, nominal parking and LOTS of high quality craft and artwork booths - AND cheap oysters! We always bought one or two nice pieces. Now, a couple must pay $95 just to walk in the gate ($35 ea, + $25 parking) - and for that you get a few decent booths, far fewer than in years past - and many booths which will sell you oysters at $3.00 or $3.50 ea - no bargain there! Also. In a clever ploy, tickets must be purchased ahead of time. So if a Nor’easter comes through, you’re our $35 a head. I’m very disappointed.

Terrible event! Don’t waste your time nor money. I went 10 years ago, was free to get in.Now $35 per person to get in. Shoulder to shoulder people. Band at noon was horrible and too loud I mean unbalanced and loud. Screening lead singer who couldn’t hold a note. , I’m a musician, I love loud, this was ridiculous. Oysters $36 a dozen! All there is to do was look at tent after tent of mostly cheap merch. There were 2 park benches for 5000 people to sit on just to eat whatever you might have to eat. Food choices were terrible. Hot dog $5. It is not the wholesome New England event that it used to be. Anyone who wrote a positive review may have been paid to or they are not genuine reviews. Wish I could be more positive about it but it is a true and true ripoff.

Great time, great food, great people and amazing oysters... What else can you ask for. It rained and we all still had a great time. Look out for chowder fries!!

I have been attending the fabulous Welfleet Oyster Festival for nearly 10 years. The oysters are truly the best in the World! There are creative craftmens/vendors sharing their works. Initially, I paid $2 to attend, then jumped to $5... now the entry fee is $10! Welfleet residence attend free. Not sure why paying a fee of $10 is reasonable... you still need to pay for everything from drinks, food and items.

The fest seemed packed to the point of being dangerous. The organizers either oversold the event or mismanaged the crowd. At times we were completely stuck and unable to move for minutes a time. Adding a star because the vendors, food, and events all looked great, they were just barely accessible or behind massive lines. We won't be returning next year.

The reason I didn't give a 5 stars review is because of safety concerns. It was packed with people in a small spaces at one point. It caused a major concerns if someone did some stupid pranks at the festival. They did check your bags before entering but without crowd control; crowd crush incident became my concern. Hopefully they may consider taking precaution steps in the future. Just remembering to bring cash with you as the majority of vendors only take cash. Of course ATMs could be found but I saw a line of people waiting. Also expected to wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes for getting your oysters. Pretty much all vendors had a long line. Other than Oysters, there are some other food but don't expect much if you don't love oysters. We did enjoy some fresh oysters there. Is it worth the visit? I will believe so but maybe try to go there when they first open or maybe visit near the end to avoid too many people.

Did not live up to the fine reputation of Wellfleet as a destination for discerning tourists. Attendees were charged $33 each with minimal value in return. Parking at the Marina, private/commercial parking lots, and area beaches included extra fees. Volunteers and public festival workers were often clueless, or ignored questions about accessibility. One bus driver refused to open their door to answer a question about their route. We bought food from a food stand and spent 2 hours waiting for music on the stage which never happened. Someone who represented themselves of being in charge of the festival said that she would try to get us a golf cart ride to return to our car, but then forgot while she went back to admiring a beautiful dog. It was beautiful. She then said that we could walk in the other direction to find it. After giving up and walking to our car, we found a bus that went to the Marina but was only referred to in fine print online. Better signage and attention to the needs of the attendees could possibly repair what could be a fun festival. I didn't get the idea that current planners and "officials", cared about their guests.

I've been to Oysterfest twice. Once in 2013 and then again this year. This year seemed so much bigger! There are tons of food vendors and stalls offering everything from jewelry to art to clothes, soaps, handmade rugs - you name it. Some of the stalls are pretty expensive ($180 necklaces), but there's a variety of price points if you look around. The FOOD is what's best in my opinion. I had to pace myself and was still disappointed because I couldn't eat all of things I wanted. I had beach plum mimosas (yum), fish and chips, some fantastic clam chowder, ice cream and tons of oysters. I went both days, so I didn't eat that all at once - Lol. The first day was rainy, but there were still a bunch of people. It was a bit crowded, so I had to wait in lines. They were never more than 5-10 minutes though. They have live music on the main stage as well as the oyster shucking contest which is not to be missed! So fun. My friend came with her children. There was a whole kids section with face painting, bouncy houses, music and necklace making. Tip - on the 2nd day, we were there near closing and the oyster stalls were doing deals ($1 oysters), so we took advantage. The main thing that I would change is that when I went a few years ago, they offered deals if you were going both days ($5 for 1 day, $8 for 2 days). This year, it was $10 for 1 day, $20 for 2 days. No deal at all, which is a shame. It's worth it though. Seafood is my jam, so I'll be back!

Boring. MC yelled constantly about nothing & begged for money. Not enough seating/tables. Oysters were good.

$23 for zero entertainment, overpriced food ($3 oysters each). Parking 1 mile away and no shuttle service. Lots of booths wanting donations and overpriced crappy craft shops. Don't do it! Lots of cops and no place to eat your food. Won't make this mistake again. Ripoff!!!!

The town of Wellfleet has been doing oyster festivals right for years. We have seen this festival grow to the point where it is now uncomfortably crowded and incredibly difficult to walk around. Worse yet, we saw rates for parking go up and prices for oysters increase. Despite inflation, Wellfleet still manages to put together a pretty amazing experience. If you love oysters, you will be in paradise. Oysters on the half shell are shucked seconds before consumption. It is incredible watching these men at work and definitely makes each morsel that much more precious. A can't miss item is the oyster stew from the Lighthouse Restaurant. Just follow the smell of garlic and you'll know when you've arrived when you see people eagerly waiting in line. Even if oysters are not your thing, the festival provides a fun environment for experiencing the Cape Cod charm.

Oysters art and lots and lots of people The Wellfleet Oyster Festival has been going on every year at this time for quite a while and every year it seems to attract more and more people. I asked a couple of official looking guys how many people showed up and got estimates from 12 to 15 thousand. Even though they closed off the whole center of town that still is a lot of people smushed into a relatively small area. There were places that we literally could not move and and had to flow where the crowd took us. Of course parking was a nightmare and every available spot was taken and buses were shuttling people in from miles away. Locals know "secret" places to park but even those are getting difficult to find within several miles of the center of town. Even though the festival was about to explode with all the people it still was something special. Great food that was of course expensive, great arts and craft vendors, cool music and entertainment and some very interesting lectures and exhibits. The oysters and food were good but really nothing that can't be found in any of the many local restaurants. What I really enjoyed was the incredible art, most of it nautically oriented. Some absolutely incredibly original and creative stuff that reflects Wellfleet's long association with the sea. A very cool festival that just might be growing a bit too large. Perhaps it's time to close off a larger area and spread out a bit? Mayhaps it's time to rethink the parking situation? The festival was fun, education and so cool but I felt like I was suffocating at times. I just hope it doesn't grow so large that nobody goes because it is just too crowded.

I attended my very first Wellfleet Oyster Festival this year and absolutely loved it! Two days of cheap(ish) oysters, fresh seafood, beer, bloody marys, art and music. Can you get any better? The festival took up most of Main Street plus a huge parking lot area. It was far more crowded on Saturday than Sunday, but I never felt like I couldn't move. There were a few places to get drinks: a Sam Adams beer garden in front of the stage and a smaller craft beer & bloody mary garden on Main Street. I attended the festival with a large group, including a few kids -- there was a huge children's area with lots of activities that I think they all really enjoyed. Logistics wise, I expected the festival to be kind of a mess, but it was actually very organized! This year they issued a new entrance fee ($8 for two days, $5 for one day) which I didn't mind. The parking situation is sort of hard to understand. Your options seem to include: park on someone's property nearby for $20, park far away and potentially pay $10-15 and then take the shuttle, or park on the side of the road for free and hope you don't get a ticket. Overall I had a really great weekend and ate tons of oysters. We were very lucky to have absolutely gorgeous weather which is not always the case in mid October. I can't imagine having enjoyed it as much if it had been cold/rainy out. Not sure what the organizers do in those situations...oysters and gloves do not sound like a good combination!

NOT to be missed by any hardcore oyster buff be it raw, fried, or baked (I'm referring to the oysters). Save the date: the next festival is Saturday and Sunday, October 13 and 14, 2012. There are booths with arts & crafts, and plenty of tents with offerings ranging from wacky to political advocacy. There's a pavilion with local music. And the OYSTERS...there were around a dozen different local stands with an endless supply. Nearly all sold the goodies at a $1 each, and won't be any fresher unless you go to the flats yourself. Doesn't matter if you're not a raw fan, there's also plenty of cooked fare. Downside: the festival is a victim of its own success. In 2006, we were almost literally elbow-to-elbow walking along Main Street. If there isn't parking at the harbor, there should be signs and shuttles along route 6.

There is nothing quite like having fresh oysters expertly shucked directly in front of you (often with impromptu entertainment) before picking out several favorites, assembling them on a paper plate with lemon, Tabasco and horse radish, and then devouring them between unintelligible exclamations of delight. Such is the Holy Grail of the Wellfleet Oyster Festival. For some, the highlight of the festival is the shucking contest, but I found the main stage area way too crowded to get a glimpse at the type of showmanship one can see up close in each of many vendor booths packed with enthusiastic and engaging shuckers, each claiming that their oysters were better than the ones you ate a few minutes ago. Just to make sure, you should buy some at every booth. If you can wade through the crowds to the food tent, there is a long line of vendors selling delicious seafood. My wife and I had Linguiça-stuffed quahogs, a delicious and uniquely New England treat. Other vendors sell everything from artwork to hand-made clothing to gourmet dog treats. To avoid downtown gridlock or dodging cars on Wellfleet's narrow old streets, it is recommended that you park in one of the designated lots and take a shuttle bus to the festival. This has worked out well for us each time we've gone, as we've never had to wait long for a bus in either direction. I'm already counting down the 50 weeks until the next one.

Think you are alone in your love of the raw and half-shelled oyster? One visit here will persuade you that you are not. I've never seen so many happy oyster indulgers. There are vegetarian and meat options, too, of course, but most folks are there for the oysters. Getting a dozen is pretty easy, but expect to wait in line for most other things. Smart people will divide and conquer for maximum efficiency. But above all, BRING CASH! There was only one functioning ATM while we were there (out of a possible two), and the wait was over 30 minutes.

This was an opportunity for me to get wellfleets for the first time. Parking can be a challenge. But if you have to walk a little it's not the end of the world. Even in the rain. This festival is rain or shine. Some vendors offer the square for purchases. There are a few ATM machines on the grounds. Bring cash if you don't want to stand in line. The food was great. I would travel again for such a great time. There's food and merchandise vendors at very reasonable prices.

Cape Cod shucks for oysters!!! This two-day oyster festival in Wellfleet, Cape Cod is a hometown favorite. I don't care much for Oysters. So you wonder why the heck was I here? For other stuff. I think this festival is more of a celebration of Cape Cod in general, with local cuisine, walking tours, live music, a fine arts fair, a road race, and, of course, the annual Oyster Shuck-Off competition. Even the pickiest eater will find quite a few items to devour. Other SEAFOOD options include lobster bisque, lobster rolls, clams (both raw and steamed), conch chowder, fried shrimp, seafood paella, crab rolls, clam chowder, and much, much more. Then there is always beer... BTW Children get in for free.

mmm...oysters. Some of my favorite presentations at this years festival: on the half-shell (naturally), grilled with garlic butter, and oyster stew. My favorite was the oyster stew made up fresh by the lighthouse restaurant, it was a wonderous concoction of herbs, butter, oysters and cream. Steaming ladle-fulls of joy in a cup. This place gets crowded. Wicked crowded. hard to move I'm getting claustrophobic get me out of here I've had enough oysters I want to go home now crowded. But its worth it because it all raises money for scholarships for the local kids.

The best local festival on Cape Cod. Miles of oysters, cool vendors, tasty treats, cold brews and fantastic music vibe. My fav is the oyster shucking contest...by far the coolest place to be in the middle of Cape Cod's autumn season...

It was my first time attending this publicized event. I went mainly for guess-what- oysters! It didn't disappoint on that front and I was lured by the different vendors proclaiming theirs was the best. Different vendors roughly priced oysters at 1-2$ per oyster. We took oysters from different vendors and ended up liking those from billingsgate shellfish co. Freshly shucked seconds before eating with a variety of well-balanced accompaniments to go along with it. They tasted better than others as well. I also had crab cakes from a very famous stand which were delicious but unfortunately they've run out of clam bakes. Fried dough was good too but the best part was also the oyster stew which I had for the first time and I wish it becomes as popular as the clam chowder. It was flavorful and pretty epic. I do wish the fest had more food vendors compared to the souvenir shops dotting the festival. But overall a good, pretty crowded festival showcasing local flavors. Parking is a problem and I suggest to look up the website for parking options or else you'll be overcharged.

See previous review wonderful raw, grilled oysters and little neck clams. Also ordered the conch stew and conch fritters, wish I could enjoy this festival every year.

A lot of amazing food: fresh shucked oysters from different restaurants (Hatche's Fish Market, another one that starts with P that I forgot where you can pick your own oysters), fried lobster tails from Mac's seafood, fried oysters from Wicked Oyster, great live music and much more options to eat. One of the coolest events in the area.

This is the first Oysterfest in Cape Cod at my friends who have a B&B and a few houses there, so it was alot of fun to be part of this. We had a lot of food and made a bonfire at night in the back yard ,making the famous smores....!

Wellfleet Oyster Fest. is one of my favorite fall activities!! It's a really great small town street festival all for the love of oysters!! Local restaurants and oyster men set up folding tables on Main St. and shuck away. Such wonderful oyster treats are available - Oyster stew (um-um-good), paella, grilled and (of course) fresh on the half shell. And there is plenty of beer from local brewers to help wash down the feast. For those not 'into oysters' there are lots of alternative seafood options. Definitely try the delicious clam chowder from Lighthouse Restaurant! It does get crowded, but well worth the experience. Other highlights include - The shucking contest draws the best shuckers from the region. Live music tent - usually blue grass Lots of local artist and craft booths. The dory of local sea creatures where fishermen help visitors identify the animals and tell you a bit about why they're fished. Massachusetts Lobstermen's Assoc. hands out informational pamphlets (do you know how to id a female and male lobster??) and kids coloring books. The Habitat for Humanity beautiful handmade kayak raffle.

What a great event. I'm a local but had never been. Parking was easy. There was plenty of vendors selling really cool stuff and the food booths of course were the big hit. Perfect chilly day to enjoy fresh shucked oysters and clams. Friendly and happy crowd, lines not to long, and a very competitive shucking contest. The MC was hilarious. Highly recommended.

It's a zoo!!! Stay at home or visit one of the local Restaurants. Parking is nuts! Either try to park nearby paying $20 or the side of he highway and hike to fight for the oysters. This whole thing takes place through downtown! And when you try to leave? Be prepare for a massive traffic jam at the end of the day! Standing room only! Save money on the oysters? No way! I gave this a two star due to the fact that its a great idea gone way out of control.

I like a good festival, but this one didn't seem worth the hassle. After parking what seemed like four towns away, we waited what seemed like forever for a shuttle to show up and transport us to the fairgrounds. Once there, the crowds were so huge that it was difficult to move around, particularly in the dining areas. The oyster prices were fairly low, which was a plus, but similar deals are available all over the Cape. I did like checking out the craft vendors, but I don't think we'll be making a return trip.

Great fresh oysters at great prices. Overall too many humans. Going early is on Saturday helped a little, by noon you could hardly walk. There are a couple of inflatable, face painting and balloon animals for the kids, but the lines are on the long side. They do a great job shuttling from off site parking.

Oysters galore and so much more! Experienced my very first Oyster Fest this past October and it was amazing! Great food, beer and entertainment. Albeit crowded, but who cares! Such a fun time. If you love the Cape and oysters, clams, and outdoor fun, this is a must. Definitely plan to go early as parking gets crowded, but they have a shuttle system that makes it very easy to get around.

i love this fest! i wait all year for this. held every year on Columbus Day weekend. it's the best place to get the freshest wellfleet oysters for only $1 each! tons of people, lots of other good food and just a fun Fall day on the cape. insiders tip: the best most plumptious oysters are from the guys in front of the grocery/general store. park all the way down on the wharf and walk back to the fest. escape the madding crowd and go for a drinks afterward at mac's shack.

This is a comment on Wellfleet oysters as harvested in the bay and harbor and as served throughout the outer Cape. Typical Wellfleet oysters are cultured from seed, in racks or free standing, and feature a nice open palmate shape and a deep cup. Somewhat salty, somewhat creamy, and firm. Oysters cultured in the harbor get some fresh water from Herring creek I think. Westside oysters ("westies") are harvested in the wild, have a somewhat more intense flavor and are rougher in shape and variable in size. These are very fine oysters. I suspect westies get some fresh water exposure from Blackfish creek, but I don't know how much (these creeks are partly tidal, so the extent of fresh water inflow will vary a lot). These too often feature a nice deep cup. Recently I was struck by the flavor and color of oysters harvested wild from a spot new to me (and which I will not name). These oyster grew large and flat, having a shallow cup. Now, I don't know if this was due to the season (summer, post spawn?) or the locale, but they were inky colored, with a startling (and very good) jolt of iodine to the flavor. I ate a dozen or two with a mignonette of pickled habeneros (pickling mellows the heat), aged spanish sherry and minced shallots. Heaven on the halfshell. Conclusion: Wellfleet oysters rank in my mind as the finest oysters in New England, and there is wonderful variety just within the oysters harvested in this one locale. I'd love to see other's thoughts on this topic.

I have been going to this fest since the first one 12 years ago. It had gotten too big and lost all it's charm. Ridiculous prices for parking and the streets blocked off with people trying to charge a dollar per person to go onto Main St. and be in a claustrophobic crowd. The oyster prices have risen over the years also. Lines for the shuttle service and a pretty much unaffordable array of "crafts" which is mostly overpriced jewelry and very expensive hats. Something that was once a very enjoyable time is no longer. We will not be returning.

Brilliant fun. One of the only local festivals on the lower cape that is well organized, has something for everyone, and is engage by surrounding towns. The food and the variety is certainly a plus, and the price for most things is decent.

Wonderful fresh shucked oysters at every turn...other food offerings delicious as well. Great fest, however, I agree with Greg S and Brian S - just too many people ! Perhaps have beer tent separate from all else...where you have to show ID to enter - no one likes to be tripping over little kids and baby strollers getting to and from beer line. Also - perhaps move the shucking contest off the big stage (cuz no one can really see what's going on up there) onto a smaller side stage at eye level ?...or move shucking contest ealier in the day and more music from 1-5. The overall flow inside the tent was chaotic at best - no one could tell which line was for what, etc. As the fest gains popularity and grows bigger, the space needs to be expended. I thought the parking and shuttle buses were run very smoothly. Again, fantastic fest - just need a few tweaks here and there as it continues to grow.