Upcoming Seafood Festivals in New England

If you love seafood as much as I do, which is doubtful, I've made it easy for you to enjoy the best seafood New England has to offer with this 2016 Festival guide. I searched long and hard, and stopped only to drool over the photos. Click on any of these to go directly to the official websites. Plan your vacations, tie on your bib, draw the butter, and slather on the cocktail sauce---here we go:

MAY 2016 -

Newport, RI Oyster Festival - May 21, 22 - Featuring local Rhode Island oysters, served up by the folks that actually grow the tasty bivalves. If you purchase a pre-sale ticket, it gets you four fresh oysters and a beverage. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.

JUNE 2016 - 

32nd Annual Chowder Festival - Portsmouth, NH - June 4 - This festival is organized by one of our sister stations in Portsmouth, WOKQ. Past winners at this festival have served up intriguing chowders like smoked scallop chowder, Manhattan, vegetarian, and corn chowders. Sounds fun!

35th Annual Great Chowder Cook-Off - Newport, RI - June 18 - Very popular event at Fort Adams State Park, unlimited sampling with paid admission, and the vendors will be serving up clam cakes, another one of my favorite local dishes.

JULY 2016 -

51st Annual Yarmouth, Maine Clam Festival - July 15-17 - Free admission, staffed by over 30 local non-profit businesses that donate their time, 6,000 pounds of clams, 6,000 lobster rolls, and it's in Maine. Win Win Win Win Win

Warren, RI Quahog Festival - July 16-17 - Sorry, they don't have an official website to link here. Not much info about this one, but Rhode Island and clams go very well together.

AUGUST 2016 - 

Maine Lobster Festival - Rockland, Maine - August 3-7 - The Granddad of all seafood festivals. This year is the 69th annual festival. $5 tickets on opening day, $8 the next couple, and free admission for all on Sunday. Maine: The way life should be...plus lots of lobster.

Charlestown Seafood Festival - Charlestown, RI - August 5-7 - Lobster, clams, shrimp, mussels, oysters, calamari, haddock, and clam cakes. Mmmmmmmmm

Milford Oyster Festival - Milford, CT - August 20 - A big one day event right here in our home state. Over 35,000 oysters and clams were cracked open at last year's fest. Nationally-known bands on stage. Very cool.

SEPTEMBER 2016 -

Hampton Beach Seafood Festival - Hampton Beach, NH - September 9-11 - Huge event held the weekend after Labor Day. Over 50 restaurants serving up all things seafood. Beautiful location.

Norwalk Oyster Festival - Norwalk, CT - September 10-11 - I've been to this festival many times over the years. Great location, it's typically packed, and if it rains, it smells. Usually a national headliner on stage for entertainment.

Ocean State Oyster Festival - Providence, RI - September 17 - Last year's Festival was the inaugural event. Second times a charm, should be a beaut. Ayuh!

October 2016 - 

Chowdafest - Westport, CT - October 2 - Taking place at Westport's Sherwood Island State Park, this will be the 9th annual event. Prizes awarded for the best Classic New England Clam Chowder, Traditional (Manhattan/Rhode Island Clear) Chowder, Creative Chowder, and Soup/Bisque

Wellfleet Oyster Festival - Wellfleet, MA - October 15-16 - Cape Cod is gorgeous, and the seafood that comes out of that water is among the best in the world.

Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival - Newport, RI - The third seafood festival held in 2016 in Newport. They love their seafood in Newport, and in turn, we love them.

I hope you enjoy the excellent festivals listed above, we are very lucky to live in the motherland of superb seafood. Get out there and eat. I'll see you there.

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