Press release
For immediate release

July 7, 2025

Whitstable offers more than just oysters during annual festival

DELICIOUS demonstrations and mouth-watering morsels will be on offer during this year’s Whitstable Oyster Festival, which starts on Saturday, July 18.

But although the Kent town is best known for its seafood there will be plenty for the more shellfish-shy to enjoy during the week-long festival, including a special two-day event focussing on all kinds of natural, succulent and local foods.

EPICentre, sponsored by Produced in Kent, promises to be a feast for all the senses, an epicurean delight and a great day out in itself.

Sited in Whitstable’s traditional working harbour on July 25 and 26, EPICentre will offer more than 40 stallholders selling everything from cherries, cheese and curry through to sausages, sweeties and, of course, shellfish.

EPICentre is a celebration of the very best the area has to offer and visitors will be able to see for themselves why the Good Food Guide highlights the ‘East Kent Triangle’ as an enviable centre for high quality meat, fish, vegetables and fruits.

But if you will only be sated by seafood you will find thousands of oysters to savour during the festival, which was enjoyed by an estimated 75,000 people last year.

Adventurous visitors can try their luck at the popular Oyster Eating competition on the EPICentre stage on Saturday, July 25, which attracts entrants from Australia, New Zealand and the Far East who race each other and the clock as they swallow oysters and beer at stomach-churning speeds.

Whitstable’s many seafood restaurants will offer dining at a more relaxed pace and the town also boasts a tantalising mix of independent boutiques and specialist shops within a stone’s throw of its popular beach.

The rest of the festival offers an exciting mix of family entertainment, arts performances and workshops and heritage events and full details of the programme are available at http://www.whitstableoysterfestival.com

Festival co-ordinator Mair Stratton, who organises the festival with the volunteers from the town, said: “Whitstable already has a growing reputation as a centre of great cuisine and we want to build on that with this year’s festival.

“There are some fantastic restaurants in the town as well as dedicated butchers, bakers and even cheesemakers who will all be tempting visitors with their wares.

“The demonstrations will offer some really useful ideas and tips and there will be something for everyone to enjoy, whether you are a fan of oysters or not.”

For full details of the programme and the latest updates, visit http://www.whitstableoysterfestival.com, follow @Oysterfest09 on Twitter or join the Whitstable Oyster Festival 2009 group on Facebook.

Ends

Notes to editors:

For more information, please contact festival co-ordinator Mair Stratton on 07712 529882 or email mailto:[email protected]

Alternatively, feel free to contact Liz Crudgington, festival PR, on 07766 735940 or email mailto:[email protected]

Full details of the programme are available at http://www.whitstableoysterfestival.com and you are welcome to send a reporter and/or photographer to any of the festival events.