Falmouth Oyster Festival, one of Cornwall’s best-loved specialist food events, is returning to Events Square in Falmouth from Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th October 2026. The festival celebrates the native Fal oyster and marks the start of the oyster dredging season, with tickets for the evening headline music sessions on sale now.
Falmouth is one of the only places in the world where native oysters are still harvested by sail and oar. Generations of local oystermen have preserved this time-honoured practice, passing down the skills required to work the tides and winds of the Fal. The method is low-impact, sustainable and environmentally friendly, helping to protect the delicate ecology of the riverbed and the oyster stocks that depend on it.
The festival is free to attend and will once again take place on Events Square in Falmouth. Across the four days, visitors can enjoy free live music, chef demonstrations, talks, market stalls, children’s arts and crafts activities, and the ever-popular Oyster Shucking Competition and Working Boat Race.
In the evenings, ticketed live music sessions bring a further dimension to the celebrations, while the festival draws to a close on Sunday afternoon with the free closing ceremony, featuring the Oggymen.
Headline Live Music Line-Up Revealed
Kicking off the evening entertainment, Cornwall’s own Falmouth Soul Sensation return for a free-to-attend party on Thursday night. Friday welcomes Mad Dog McRea and their infectious blend of folk rock, gypsy jazz and bluegrass, fresh off the release of a new album. And Saturday sees blues harmonica virtuoso Giles Robson take to the stage with support from Soul/Roots musician Dave Keller. The festival closes in traditional style on Sunday afternoon with the free Closing Ceremony from Falmouth favourites The Oggymen. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are now on sale at falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk/tickets.
Chef Demonstrations
During the day, music and chef demos are free to enjoy every day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet Cornwall’s top chefs, food and drink enthusiasts and seafood experts. The chefs demonstrate their culinary skills, with a focus on native oysters, seafood sustainability and cookery masterclasses.
Confirmed chefs for 2026 include Annie Seabourne of My Fish Kitchen, Elliot Kett of Kelp Canteen, Sham Mulji of Situ Cafe, Rose Cant of (the Instagram account) Mum on Muddy Lane, Eddie Rains of The Halfway House, Chris Eden of Watergate Bay Hotel, Hylton Espey of Culture, Nick Evans of Stein’s Cookery School, Ben Harrison of Counter Culture, and Guy Owen of Idle Rocks Hotel.
Further chefs and the full festival schedule will be announced in the coming weeks. To stay up to date with the latest Falmouth Oyster Festival news please visit www.falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk or join the conversation online @Faloysterfest.
