Galway International Oyster Festival
Galway International Oyster Festival takes place Sep 25 - 27, 2026 in Galway, Ireland. The dress code is Smart and celebratory for the marquee and gala - many guests dress up; waterproofs for daytime wandering. Typical cost ranges from 100 to 450 EUR per person.
The world's longest-running oyster festival, held since 1954 on the very last weekend of September to open Galway's native oyster season. The 2026 edition is its 72nd year, crowned by the World Oyster Opening Championship and Champagne-soaked marquee feasts beside the Atlantic. Small, convivial and genuinely rooted in the harvest.
- When
- Sep 25 - 27, 2026
- Where
- Galway, Ireland
- Dress code
- Smart and celebratory for the marquee and gala - many guests dress up; waterproofs for daytime wandering
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 100 to 450 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 10 - 15C, cool breezy Atlantic autumn with a good chance of rain
- When to book
- Marquee and gala tickets sell out - book on release in summer; Galway hotels 2 - 3 months out
- Getting there
- SNN (Shannon), about 1 hr 15 min by car; Galway is 2.5 hr by train from Dublin
- Where to stay
- Glenlo Abbey Hotel & Estate (five-star country house), The Hardiman (grand 1852 hotel on Eyre Square), The House Hotel (boutique value by the Latin Quarter)
- Official site
- https://www.galwayoysterfestival.com
How to attend
Individual events - marquee tastings, the shucking championship, the gala - are ticketed separately at galwayoysterfestival.com and sell out, so book when they release. Street events and music around the city are free. A full festival weekend with marquee sessions and oysters runs a few hundred euros before lodging.
The oyster opening championships, the brunch and the street events are free with no ticket; the one ticketed event, the RNLI Charity Ball, is listed as coming soon rather than on sale.
Insider tip
The World Oyster Opening Championship heats on Saturday afternoon are the atmospheric heart of the weekend - get marquee tickets that include them rather than evening-only sessions.
Get inside Galway International Oyster Festival
Booking matters here: marquee and gala tickets sell out - book on release in summer; Galway hotels 2 - 3 months out. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.