Oyster & Wine pairing Dinner / Chef Ralph Smith & Jim Elston of Chemin des Vins will amaze you!

Chef Ralph Smith will be creating an innovative menu highlighting oysters, but not exclusively oysters. He will show that pairing oysters with other amazing foods can create a totally new experience with French wines from Chemin des Vins.

September 27

6:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

The Pre-festival Oyster & Wine Extravaganza will be held on Saturday Night. The Menu will be created by Chef Ralph Smith and will surely be memorable. His innovative approach to local seafood and particularly oysters is second to none. Last years 6 course menu included, of course, Pemaquid Oysters, both raw and baked, Lobster Bisque Crepe with butter poached lobster, lobster hash, hollandaise sauce topped with crunchy lobster, Dry rubbed and 18 hour smoked beef brisket with BBQ sauce, southern style potato salad and corn bread, Tenderloin of beef, mashed potatoes, veggies and a peppercorn Demi-glacé, Ending with Strawberries & Chocolate with a Red Zinfandel Sauce.  Let’s just say, no one left hungry! This year is sure to be one for the books.

The Wines will be chosen & provided by Jim Elston, a French wine importer known as Chemin des Vin who lives in our own South Bristol. His extensive knowledge of the wines he imports is vast. He has personal relationships with many of the wine makers and has a keen sense of the nuances necessary for pairing with food. He has an ability to speak in terms that make it easy to learn while you taste and we are incredibly fortunate to be able to bring his expertise to our event. Jim is a huge oyster lover so this will be a particularly lively addition to our pairings.

Bring on the INDUSTRY! Last year we invited some key growers to have a seat at the table among guests, which brought oyster conversation to the forefront and guests enjoyed the access to and insights from local Oyster Farmers. We will expand that this year and are expecting an exciting pre-festival evening!

Pemaquid Oyster Festival

Celebrating the Oyster Growers of the Damariscotta River Region (SUNDAY)

September 28

11:00am - 6:00pm EDT

There will be a small festival menu available.

While it won’t be exactly like last year - here is an idea of what we had last year! We understand some festival goers don’t eat oysters but want to come along with their oyster loving friends and family.

Jalapeno poppers, cheese curds & marinara, hand-cut truffle fries, wings, oyster chowder, baked oysters, mussels, lobster roll, chicken quesadilla, fish & chips, oyster po-boy, chicken sandwich, flame grilled burger, Maine crab roll, fried oysters, oyster flatbread.

A perennial favorite at the Pemaquid Oyster Festival is the exhibit tent, located on Pier 1 out in front of Mine Oyster Restaurant. The tent features many local non-profit organizations who work in the area as of marine conservation and education and aquaculture. It offers festival goers a chance to learn more about these organizations and the work they do. The exhibit tent also includes some vendors who offer oyster artwork - decorative shells, paintings, prints, ceramics and woodcraft for display and sale. Be sure to visit the exhibit tent while enjoying the festival and all that it has to offer. There is no fee for the exhibit tent and there are oysters for sale and shucking lessons available. No alcohol is available in the tent or anywhere outside of Mine Oyster.

The Silent Auction

opens online Sept. 14th for advance bidding! New this year, the auction will end at the festival at 2pm. You don’t need to attend to bid - check back here  September 1st to sign up - it’s free to look!

Join us on September 27th for the kickoff dinner, or the 28th for the festival or both!