The World Oyster Opening Championship, the Elegant Lady Competition and a Mardi Gras party are some of the highlights promised at the 52nd Galway International Oyster Festival, launched in Dublin yesterday.
Up to 12,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which runs over four days from Thursday, September 28th until Sunday, October 1st.
The event is the longest-running of its kind in Ireland and it is estimated it will create about €7 million for the economy. Some 85 per cent of people who attend come from overseas, including visitors from the United States, Australia, Japan and South Africa.
Fourteen nominees sponsored by local businesses will compete for the title of Galway Oyster Pearl 2006, the winner of which will act as the face of the festival. Golfer Christy O'Connor jnr is the guest of honour.
Festival administrator Ann Flanagan says this year's event is unrecognisable from the one-day festival held in 1954. "It started off with 32 people attending. Now, it creates €7 million for the economy in the last weekend of September. There isn't a bed to be had in Galway that weekend."
Manning a stand of oysters at yesterday's launch was 2005 Irish Oyster Opening Champion Michael Moran. "The festival celebrates oysters coming back into season and up to 100,000 oysters will be consumed over the four days," he said.
The World Oyster Opening Championship will feature entrants from 15 countries, including Norway, Sweden and, for the first time, South Africa. Competitors open 30 oysters and are judged on speed and presentation.
Knife in his hand, rapidly forcing open oysters as he talked, Mr Moran said he is looking forward to the chance to better the third place he achieved at last year's world championships.
"I have the same knife as last year, so hopefully it'll bring me a bit more luck this time."
For more information, visit www.galwayoysterfest.com