Inaugural Inland Bays Oyster Week set Aug. 5-10
Celebrating more than 10 years of efforts to bring locally grown oysters to raw bars and dinner tables in Delaware’s coastal resort area, the inaugural Inland Bays Oyster Week events will kick off Monday, Aug. 5.
Organized and sponsored by Delaware Sea Grant at the University of Delaware and Southern Delaware Tourism, the event will feature on-water tours, educational seminars, oyster hatchery visits and social activities, including a special evening of Arts on the Half-Shell at the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays.
The week will culminate with the inaugural Delaware Seafood Festival to be held Saturday, Aug. 10, in Millsboro.
Ed Lewandowski, a community and economic development specialist at Delaware Sea Grant, is the event coordinator. He touted the local shellfish aquaculture industry and the growers who have invested their time and resources to produce Inland Bays oysters. “Farming anywhere is not an easy proposition, but growing a living organism in a marine environment can be especially challenging,” he said. “If you have not yet tasted an oyster from Rehoboth Bay or Indian River Bay, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you do. Personally, I’ve enjoyed oysters from Europe to the West Coast, and those coming from the Inland Bays are some of the most delicious around! I’ve heard countless others tell me the same thing.”
Mark Carter, director of development for the Center for the Inland Bays, said, "The center is excited to see a full week dedicated to our Inland Bays oysters and all the benefits, both environmentally and economically, they bring to the table here in our watershed."
The schedule of events follows:
Sip ‘n Slurp/Meet the Grower is set for 3 to 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 5, at Big Oyster Brewery, 6152 South Rehoboth Blvd., Milford. Guests can enjoy Nancy James Oysters from Rehoboth Bay and learn about aquaculture operations from owner/grower Jordan Nally.
Examining Local Shellfish Aquaculture is set for 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6, at Rehoboth Beach Museum, 511 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach. Participants in this eco-tour will visit one of the open-water shellfish lease areas in Rehoboth Bay to learn about the process of growing oysters from seed to market. Dr. Dennis McIntosh, a Delaware State University faculty member and Delaware Sea Grant aquaculture specialist, will explain some of the ecological services provided by a robust aquaculture industry.
Wine ‘n Brine/Meet the Grower will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6, at Lewes Oyster House, 108 Second St., Lewes. Guests may sample Arrowhead Point Oysters from Rehoboth Bay and learn about aquaculture operations from owner/operators who may include Chad Heers, Alan Davis and Mark Nardi.
A Science of Aquaculture program for all ages is set for 1 to 2 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the Cannon Lab, Room 203, University of Delaware Sharp Campus, 700 Pilottown Road, Lewes. Dr. Ed Hale, University of Delaware assistant professor and Delaware Sea Grant aquaculture/fisheries specialist, will discuss the hows and whys behind oysters and Inland Bays aquaculture, which will include a brief history of the origins of this local industry.
An Oyster Hatchery Tour is set from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 7, also at the Cannon Lab, UD Sharp Campus. Space is limited to 15 attendees. Reservations are required at eventbrite.com. In 2023, Delaware Sea Grant began operating the first oyster hatchery in the state. In early July, the hatchery sent 200 bags of shells with roughly 105,000 oyster spat – or baby oysters – to a commercial aquaculture operation in the Delaware Bay using larvae that the pilot hatchery produced. Alyssa Campbell, laboratory coordinator for the oyster hatchery, will lead a tour of the pilot-scale operation.
Arts on the Half-Shell will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 8, at the CIB offices at 39375 Inlet Road, Rehoboth Beach. The evening will highlight culinary and visual arts inspired by the oyster, set against the stunning backdrop of sunset over Indian River Bay. All proceeds will support the James Farm Ecological Preserve education campus project.
The Delaware Seafood Festival is set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, at American Legion Post 28, Legion Road, Millsboro. Attendees will enjoy seafood delights, family fun and live music while cheering on participants in the signature oyster-shucking contest. A portion of proceeds will support American Legion Post 28.
Scott Thomas, Southern Delaware Tourism executive director, said, “Inland Bays Oyster Week is a fabulous opportunity for locals and visitors to learn about, enjoy and celebrate these marvelous home-grown mollusks, the local farmers who raise them, and Southern Delaware’s Culinary Coast chefs who create magic with them.”
For more information, go to inlandbays.org and delawareseafoodfestival.com.
