The Arcata Plaza was once again thronged with shellfish aficionados, day drinkers and music lovers for the 36th annual Oyster Fest. While the crowds reveled at the zero-waste party in the sunshine, judges, including yours truly, held their bivalve conclave, emerging to declare Mainely Lobster winner of both Best Oyster and Best Raw with a […]
Oyster Fest
Posted inNews
No Kings Protest, Oyster Fest and Restaurant Week
We’ve got Restaurant Week on the cover this issue. Inside, we’re looking back on a weekend of protest in Eureka and across the country, and Oyster Fest in Arcata. Hit subscribe for weekly updates on Humboldt stories.
Posted inEat + Drink
Oyster Winners, Contenders and Could-have-beens
By 10 a.m., the 10 judges whom organizer Jessica Silva (a Journal contributor) had asked to arrive by 9:30 a.m. were finally assembled around the long table on the stage at the rear of the Wild Hare Tavern. Entries for the Arcata Bay Oyster Festival’s annual Best Oyster competition were trickling in on paper plates […]
Posted inArts + Scene
All is Chaos but Oyster Fest is On
Mark your festival calendar for June 14, as the official announcement for the Arcata Bay Oyster Festival is out. As is tradition, the Saturday before Father’s Day will see crowds, vendors and live music all over the Arcata Plaza from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. like hot sauce on a grilled Pacific. The strong of […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Banning Plastics and Bioplastics at Oyster Fest
If each of the more than 12,000 people in attendance at Arcata Bay Oyster Festival restrained themselves to only two orders of grilled Pacifics served with disposable forks, 24,000 sets of plastic prongs would likely make their way to landfill. Events of such a scale not only create a lively community, but also literal tons […]
Posted inEat + Drink
A Second Amateur Win at Oyster Fest
It was like old times on the plaza during the June 10 Arcata Bay Oyster Festival: friends hugging and balancing topped up beers, lines for the food vendors lining the sidewalks and bands playing the main stage for an audience of dancers and picnickers in the grass. The official head count isn’t in yet but, […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Photos: Oyster Fest’s Return to the Plaza
The crowds, vendors and bands were back in their old stomping grounds for the Arcata Bay Oyster Festival. The official count of attendees hasn’t been released yet but by noon, the masses lining up for oysters and other festival eats resembled pre-pandemic crowds. Photographer Mark Larson was on the scene for the oyster calling and […]
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Indigenous Boats, Fish Stories and Oyster Fest Plans
This week we’re looking at the launch of an Alaskan Indigenous boat built here in Humboldt, as well as a story about how a fight for Native fishing rights grew into a major step toward Yurok sovereignty. Finally, we’re priming for Oyster Fest’s return to the Arcata Plaza. Hit subscribe for weekly updates on Humboldt […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Music Tonight: Friday, June 9
With Oyster Fest looming on the horizon, it might seem premature to offer my trademarked “Show of the Week,” especially this early on, but here we are. The date is 6/9 and The Sturgeons have decided to celebrate one of the most egalitarian and mutually beneficial bedroom maneuvers with a show at the Jam (insert […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Oyster Fest Hopes to Pack the Plaza Again
The last time revelers swarmed the Arcata Plaza for Oyster Fest was 2019, the pre-pandemic Before Times, when long lines, sunburn and a hangover were the looming fears. Following two years of virtual events and a ticketed in-person event in the Creamery District last June, the annual bivalve bacchanalia is set to take over the […]
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NCJ Preview: CPH’s Fire Fight, Police Shooting, Spiked Drinks and Oyster Fest Beer
This week’s cover story dives into the tug of war over wildfire training degrees and whether Cal Poly Humboldt has the right to call dibs on them. We’re updating on the police shooting in Eureka stemming from an alleged armed robbery and assault, and a high-speed chase, as well. We’ve got what you need to […]
Posted inNews
NCJ Preview: Post-Roe, Pride and Oyster Fest Fallout
After last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, we’re talking about what it means for California and how we can fight for reproductive rights for everyone. Linda Stansberry joins us to talk about Ferndale Pride and the folks who are making the Victorian Village more welcoming to all. We’ve got a post-oyster […]