The world is your oyster–or at least Ginter Park is–for OystoberFest

Chuck is shucking. – Photo provided by OystoberFest

This Saturday, October 21st from 12-6 PM you’ll have a chance to enjoy delicious bivalve mollusks at OystoberFest 11 at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church (3602 Hawthorne Ave.) in Ginter Park. This tasty event will benefit Benefit St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church and its 40+ Outreach Ministries.

The festival is free although they do ask for a measly $2 donation. Food tickets are $1 per ticket and items range between 1 ticket for water to 14 tickets for a dozen oysters. You can check-out the full list of prices online.

You can get your oysters steamed, raw, fried, and even on a Po’ Boy if you so desire. If oysters aren’t your thing there will also be brats, hot dogs, fries, hush puppies, and cake. Yes, I said cake. A festival with cake is a festival I can get behind. Let them eat cake.

A Richmond festival without beer can’t really call itself a festival. OystoberFest isn’t messing around with a full range of beers from the Miller Lite to the Trapezium Gram Cracker Porter. A rotating mystery tap all day will keep you guessing on what beer to drink next.

Music this year includes:

• 12 noon – The Neons
• 12:45 PM – Vassar Family Singers
• 1:45 PM – Mills Family Band
• 2:45 PM – The Atkinsons
• 3:45 PM – Lenny 
• 4:45 PM – Supervixen

Here’s the biggest inside tip, so pay attention. Parking a car is for the birds. The weather is supposed to be perfect this weekend so ride a bike. The reason I suggest that isn’t just that I think you need a little more exercise.

They’ll actually pay you to ride your bike with We-Pay-You Bike Valet – Each bike earns the rider $2 in tickets. Free money for being healthy.

Ride your bike and get two bucks. – Photo provided by OystoberFest

A great way to spend your Saturday.