Little Town, Big Festival

     Urbanna, Virginia isn't a very big town.  There are just about 600 residents living within the city limits.  But every year since 1958 the population swells to over 80,000 when they host the two day Urbanna Oyster Festival.  It was originally called "Urbanna Days" , the concept conceived by local merchants and town fathers to promote various enterprises and trades.  It grew from a small one day event to become the official oyster festival of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

     The town, which overlooks the Rappahannock River, welcomes visitors from all across the country to enjoy the succulent bivalve and to experience some genuine small town hospitality.  Of course the main feature are the oysters.  You can have them any way you like them:  raw, roasted, steamed, fried or frittered.  And of course, in the name of culinary research I had to sample each one.  And I did!

 

     The festival is held each year on the first weekend in November.  While the weather wasn't the best on the day I was there, the hospitality couldn't have been better.  People displayed real Southern charm as they enjoyed all the different oyster delicacies.



     So if you like oysters, make plans to be a part of next year's festival!