Urbanna, VA, which is located along the coast of the Rappahannock River right before it feeds into the Chesapeake Bay, is a quaint and small town known to have just around 500 residents during most of the year; however, during just one weekend every fall, that population experiences a 100-fold increase as a result of the Urbanna Oyster Festival, which draws crowds from 50 to 60 thousand!
Whether you consider yourself an oyster fan or not, the way that this small town opens its arms to the massive flocks of visitors every year creates an incredible experience that goes so much deeper than just sampling some fresh shellfish.
What is the Urbanna Oyster Festival?
Located in Urbanna, a small town about 1 hour east of Richmond or roughly 2.5 hours south of D.C., this oyster festival takes place every year on the first weekend of November.
Considered one of the oldest and biggest oyster festivals in the nation, first established in 1957, it was designated as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Official Oyster Festival in 1988, a title it still holds to this day.
The festival celebrates the state’s rich aquatic culture, including its maritime heritage and the cultural and ecological value of the Chesapeake Bay and the local oyster industry.
This year, the event will take place on the first Friday and Saturday of November, the 7th and 8th, and is considered a “pay-as-you-go” festival, meaning that entry is free, but certain zones or experiences may require a fee.
While there is a VIP package for Saturday for $125 that comes with several perks, unfortunately, they have already sold out.
What to expect at Urbanna Oyster Festival
The Urbanna Oyster Festival takes place over two days, Friday, November 7th, and Saturday, November 8th.
The festival will feature live music performances, dozens of vendors from local businesses and artisans, official merch opportunities, wine and beer tastings, and, of course, delicious food stalls including freshly shucked oysters.
The festivities are split up into several zones across the small town: the waterfront along the marina, the festival village area, ‘community row’ along one of the town’s main streets, an art show area, a wine area at Landsdowne, and a festivities area at Firehouse Field.
As you can imagine, with such a small town drawing such a big crowd, most of the town is closed off to vehicles during the festival, so you can either arrive early to park in one of the reserved $20 per day lots for the event, or you can try your luck parking walking distance away.
Event schedule
On the first day, festivities run from 10 am to 8 pm.
Here is a sneak peek of the schedule for Friday:
- Fine Art Show – 10 am – 5 pm
- Carnival – 10 am – 5 pm
- Arts & Crafts – 10 am – 12 pm
- Craft Beer Tasting – 11 am – 5 pm
- Virginia Wine Tasting – 11 am – 5 pm
- Nature Crafts in Children’s Area – 2 pm – 4 pm
- Queen & Little Miss Spat Competition – 4 pm
- Magic Show in Children’s Area – 4 pm – 5 pm
- Oyster Shell Painting & Face Painting in Children’s Area – All Day
- Fireman’s Parade – 7 pm – 8 pm
On the second day, the festival is slated to run from 9 am to 5 pm.
Here’s what the schedule looks like for Saturday:
- Fine Art Show – 9 am – 3 pm
- Carnival – 9 am – 5 pm
- Puppet Making in Children’s Area – 10 am – 11 am & 12 pm – 1 pm
- Acoustic Guitar – 10 am – 2 pm
- Virginia Oyster Shucking Competition – 11 am
- Craft Beer Tasting – 11 am – 5 pm
- Virginia Wine Tasting – 11 am – 5 pm
- Puppet Show in Children’s Area – 12:30 pm – 1 pm & 1:30 pm – 2 pm
- Oyster Shell Painting & Face Painting in Children’s Area – All Day
- Nature Crafts in Children’s Area – 2 pm – 4 pm
- Oyster Festival Parade – 2 pm