In the Field
40th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival
40th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival Returns to Boone Hall on February 4, 2024
The Charleston Restaurant Foundation (CRF) has announced that tickets are now on sale for the 40th annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival held on Feb. 4, 2024 at Boone Hall Plantation. Guests of the world’s largest oyster festival can enjoy over 50,000 pounds of steamed oysters for purchase at market price as well as live music, oyster shucking and eating contests, wine, a selection of domestic and imported beers, specialty cocktails, a children’s area and a food court showcasing a variety of local restaurants.
“We are delighted to welcome friends, family and visitors to celebrate one of our region’s most iconic culinary traditions at the 40th annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival,” said Charleston Restaurant Foundation President, Johnathan Kish. “The Charleston Restaurant Foundation is honored to host this beloved fundraising event while spotlighting impactful charities and educational partners.”
The festival has raised over one million dollars for local charities over the years, and as a result of the sold-out 2023 festival, a total of $124,000 was donated to beneficiaries including Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center, Coastal Conservation Association, Pay it Forward, Shriners Hospitals for Children, College of Charleston, Academic Magnet High School, Charleton County School of the Arts and The Culinary Institute of Charleston’s “Kathy Britzius Memorial Scholarship.”
Festival organizers also prioritize sustainability by working with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Coastal Conservation Association of Charleston to recycle shells in local coastal waters, where they help rebuild fisheries, reefs, prevent soil erosion and mitigate flood risk.
The festival is a rain or shine event. No pets, coolers or outside food and beverages will be allowed. Oyster knives and gloves will be available for purchase. Boone Hall Plantation is located at 1235 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC, 29464. There are two entrances for the event: the main Boone Hall entrance off Long Point Road and the entrance off Highway 17.
General Admission tickets are $25 per person and VIP tickets are $194 per person. VIP tickets include unlimited oysters, food, and beverages. All tickets can be purchased HERE.
Charleston Restaurant Foundation
The Charleston Restaurant Foundation (CRF) mission is to support the charitable deeds of the Lowcountry Hospitality Association, which serves the geographical area of Charleston, South Carolina. Its focus is to advocate for its member restaurants by providing them the resources they need so that their guests can savor and celebrate Lowcountry cuisine. Annual fundraising events enable the CRF to give back to the community that has so generously supported its members. To date, those fundraising efforts have enabled the CRF to donate over one million ($1,000,000) dollars to local charities.
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