Austin may be an inland city but its culinary impresarios see no reason to deprive residents of the Texan capital fresh and briny bivalves. In that spirit, The Lawn at Seaholm in Downtown Austin will soon play host to the Austin Oyster Festival, an event celebrating raw, roasted, fried, and grilled oysters — plus the necessary accouterments and beverage pairings. It’s also a slightly off-beat Valentine’s-adjacent date with natural aphrodisiac properties.

Jeri’s Seafood and Chef Chris Bower Join Forces

Courtesy of Jeri's Seafood / Facebook

Scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 24, the Austin Oyster Festival will be a day-long affair, beginning at noon and ending at 6 p.m. Jeri’s Seafood, a company of Texan oyster specialists based in Galveston Bay, will provide the sustainably grown and ethically harvested shellfish for the festival. Jeri’s oysters will then be passed along to chef Chris Bower of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood in Austin, who will transform them into succulent dishes like smoked bacon oysters Rockefeller, oyster and rock shrimp gumbo with andouille sausage, and crispy oyster banh mi. 

Shuck, Slurp, and Sip

 

If you’re a raw-bar enthusiast, chef Bower will offer up Gulf and East Coast oysters on the half-shell, paired with specially crafted condiments like preserved lemon mignonette, caramelized shallot mignonette, and roasted serrano and lime creme fraiche. Dessert includes bananas Foster bread pudding topped with ice cream from Amy’s. 

Ticket holders will also have access to an assortment of craft beers, specialty cocktails, and a bloody mary bar with optional seafood add-ons, featuring beverages from sponsors Deep Eddy Vodka, Blue Point Brewing Company, and Topo Chico. 

Get the V.I.P. Treatment

Courtesy of Austin Oyster Festival / Facebook

Hope you bought your V.I.P. lounge tickets because they’re already sold out. If you’re lucky enough to have gotten in there, you’ll be able to appreciate two oyster tastings at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. It’s a who’s-who of local chefs offering up their best oyster dishes, including chef Shane Stark of Mongers Market + Kitchen, chef Chris Ten Eyck of Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, and chef Chris Bauer of Eddie V’s Edgewater Grill and OneLongTable Dining Society. Deep Eddy Vodka is also offering a specialty cocktail under the tent.

Tickets and Entertainment

Courtesy of Austin Oyster Festival / Facebook

General-admission tickets are available for purchase online; for $60, you’ll get entrance to the festival, admission to performances from Chansons et SoÈ—lards, Robert Kelley and the Blue Mist, and The Lost Pines. Your ticket includes six food and drink vouchers. Tickets are selling quick, so you’ll want to snap them up soon.