2009 Bytowne Oyster Festival

Despite the fact that I spent a pretty big chunk of my weekend stripping paint off my front porch, I did feel as though I was on vacation. 3 big factors contributed to my feeling that way. One – my new deck, two – the hot weather, and three – the oyster festival at the Whalesbone. Given that it was only two blocks from my house also made the trek with my friends that much more fun. It was packed when we arrived, and really quite hot out. We b-lined for the beer. Yummy Beaus and Steam Whistle were on tap.


Once properly hydrated, we went for the oysters that came with our entry ticket. You could also buy more, which we did, at an amazing price of 4 for $5. These tasty treats were served with Island Spiced sauces, for a fun kick. And shortly after the oyster shucking competition, complementary oysters were being passed around.


It was an oyster lover’s paradise – check out these giant champion oysters from the west coast.


But they had more than that, walleye burgers, beef burgers and lobster dinners were also available. As the day went on I went for the walleye burger. Honestly the best fish burger you’ll ever have. I’ve talked about them before on my blog – yummy white fish, fried onions and a spicy mayo. The place was filled with foodies (the urban element, the red apron, restaurant owners) – seriously, just rubbing shoulders with these fantastic people alone was enough to get me super excited. We also ran into a lot of friends. Even if you didn’t know anyone, everyone was in such good spirits you’d be sure to make a new connection within minutes. It was a total community party and so much fun.



In addition to oyster shucking competitions, they also had live bands playing all day. The rain did come, but their set up was perfect and allowed some shelter under a big cozy tent. Also not enough to dampen the liveliness. What did dampen it however, was the little voice inside my head reminding me I had to work the next day. Knowing at this point we couldn’t possibly continue to drink at a slower pace, we decided to leave. Mental note to take a vacation day next year!

I love the Whalesbone. I love what they stand for, I love their fish, I love their staff and I love how they market themselves. If you go to any restaurant in the city that serves quality food, their fish is from the Whalesbone. These people all work so hard and well together to give people like us fantastic food choices. I'm really glad to have them around.