Galveston Bay Foundation Hosts Third Annual Oyster & SeaFest: An Oyster-Inspired Event Raised Funds and Awareness for Habitat Restoration Program
- April 09, 2024
- News
HOUSTON, TX – Galveston Bay Foundation’s third annual Oyster & SeaFest event was its most successful yet, ushering in over $115,000 to benefit the nonprofit organization’s habitat restoration program, including its oyster reef restoration and oyster shell recycling efforts. Additionally, 682 pounds of oyster shell was recycled at the festival and will make its way back to the Bay.
The oyster and seafood tasting event took place on Saturday, April 6 at The Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park and welcomed more than 700 Houston-area foodies and outdoor enthusiasts. Guests enjoyed delicious seafood dishes, wine, beer, seltzers and vodka cocktails, live music from Kung Fuze and DJ L-Boogie, and plenty of family-friendly educational activities.
Houston-area restaurants served up creative oyster and seafood-inspired dishes:
Oyster Dressing from BB’s Tex Orleans; East Coast Oysters with House Mignonette from Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse; Dueling Oysters from Floyds Seafood; Smoked Redfish Dip from Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition; Chargrilled Oysters with 3 Layer Butter from Landry’s Seafood House; Crispy Oyster Bahn Mi with Shaved Spring Vegetables, Kimchi Aioli, Yuzu Jalapeno Pearls from McCormick & Schmick’s; Oysters Escabeche with radish, fennel and fried shallots from Navy Blue; and Oceanaire Pearly Oysters with three sauces: Apple Mignonette, Lemon Cilantro Mignonette and Yuzu Grapefruit Vinaigrette from The Oceanaire Seafood Room; Willie G’s Violets for Zacapa (oyster plus violet, mint, calamansi and Ron Zacapa rum) won the event’s People’s Choice Award and Loch Bar’s Fried Oyster Caviar Crème Fresh won Judge’s Choice Award.
Guests in the VIP area enjoyed a raw oyster bar from Barrier Beauties along with shrimp tacos and raw oysters from Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, paired with bubbles and cocktails.
While general admission tickets were priced at $35 and $50 and VIP tickets were priced at $150, most of the day’s funds were raised thanks to generous corporate sponsors: Anchor QEA, Avera, Artic Ice, Barrier Beauties, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Distinguished Vineyards, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, gentle ben, LyondellBasell, ORION, Orsted, Perrier, Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, Port Houston, Ports America, Prestige Oysters, Reliant Energy, San Pelligrino, Thunder Exploration, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Transocean, United and Wells Fargo.
Funds raised from Saturday’s event support Habitat Restoration work, enabling the organization to continue offering oyster shell recycling services to 38 Houston-area restaurants. In 2023 alone, Galveston Bay Foundation reclaimed 237 tons of oyster shell to return to the Bay. The organization has collected over 1,730 tons since its inception in 2011.
“Oysters provide vital ecological benefits to Galveston Bay but have become increasingly threatened. For this reason, Galveston Bay Foundation works to restore oyster habitat by placing oyster shell back in the Bay where it will serve as habitat for new oysters to grow. The 700+ Houstonians who came out to celebrate and enjoy oysters with us on Saturday are directly contributing to this work,” said Bob Stokes, President, Galveston Bay Foundation. “We are so appreciative of the generous restaurants who particiapted in the event, along with our sponsors and attendees at our 2024 Oyster & SeaFest!”
To learn more about Galveston Bay Foundation, its 2024 Oyster & SeaFest or its Habitat Restoration program, visit galvbay.org or contact Kimberly Meza at kmeza@galvybay.org and 281-923-3278.
PHOTOS
Courtesy of Bernardo Medina
About Galveston Bay Foundation
Galveston Bay Foundation is a conservation nonprofit that has served as guardian of Galveston Bay since 1987. Our mission is to preserve and enhance Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come. We work to facilitate a true cross-section of Bay interests through creative, inclusive, and forward-thinking solutions to the challenges confronting Galveston Bay. We envision a future Bay that is brimming with vitality, connected to people, and contributing to the community in every possible way.
