East End Oyster Fests Steal October Spotlight

Long Island oystermen, take a bow. You’re being feted.

Over the next 10 days, the East End will pay homage to its favorite mollusk — and the men and women who harvest them — in no less than five different ways:

The Shinnecock Nation Oyster Festival

The Shinnecock Nation’s Environmental Department is hosting its inaugural oyster festival this Saturday, October 7 on the Shinnecock Nation Powwow Grounds from 1–6 p.m. The headliner, of course, will be Shinnecock Bay oysters served raw on a half shell, grilled, po’ boy style and in a stew. Other traditional soups will be on hand for those who may not fancy shellfish, as well as hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids. The Shinnecock Nation Environmental Department has been seeding oysters since 2013, as part of the $3.75 million Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency grant the Nation was awarded to improve water quality and other effects of erosion.

Oyster Fest

Returning to Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. on Sunday, October 8, from noon–6 p.m. Head to their Greenport Village location to shuck local oysters and taste their Unhinged Oyster Stout on tap (a collaboration with Little Creek Oysters). Live music by New Life Crisis will be performed from 1:30–5 p.m. greenportharborbrewing.com

LI Oyster Week

The creators of Long Island Restaurant Week teamed up with local oystermen to launch Long Island Oyster Week from October 10–15. Richard Remmer of The Snapper Inn Waterfront Restaurant and Chuck Westfall, president of Long Island Oyster Growers Association, joined up with Nicole Castillo of Long Island Restaurant Week to create the week-long honoring of Long Island’s tastiest bivalve.

Oyster growers on Long Island participating include Oysterponds Shellfish Co., North Fork Big Oyster Co., Founders Bay Oyster Farm, Thatch Island Oyster Farm, Eel Town Oysters, Hamptons Oyster Company, Great Gun Oyster Co. and Montauk Pearls. Participating restaurants include Bayberry, Calissa, Juniper, Mirabelle, Nantuckets, Oakdale Brewhouse, Salt & Barrel, Spuntino Wine Bar, Bell & Anchor, The Snapper Inn, The Wharf Oakdale and View.

Long Island Oyster Week will also support Half Shells for Habitat, an island-wide partnership that collects waste oyster shells from restaurants for the purpose of returning them to Long Island’s estuarine waters through oyster restoration and other habitat improvement projects. oysterweekli.com

Oyster Extravaganza

Brought to you by North Fork Women, The Oyster Extravaganza is Saturday, October 14, noon–2 p.m. at Little Ram Oysters, on the water next to The Shoals Hotel. Admission includes an icy plate of six fresh, tasty, plump oysters, farmed in local bay waters by the women of Little Ram Oyster Company. The event will have all-you-can-eat pizza for everyone. Also included is complimentary beer, wine, soda and water. Additional oysters can be purchased at the event for $12 per plate of six oysters. northforkwomen.org

Oyster Bay Oyster Fest 

Billed as the East Coast’s largest waterfront festival, The Oyster Bay festival — sponsored in part by the Oyster Bay-Norwich Rotary Club — attracts more than 150,000 attendees each year. The dates for this year’s event in Oyster Bay are October 14–15. theoysterfestival.org