Weather eye out on eve of oyster festival

Bluff oyster boats are braving rough seas for one of Southland's biggest events of the year.

Up to 5000 people are expected to attend the annual Bluff Oyster and Food Festival tomorrow.

Despite 11 years' experience setting up for the festival, volunteers said one element was out of their control - the weather.

Rough seas in Foveaux Strait had delayed oyster boats but festival committee chairman John Edminstin said they had visitors covered.

"For the rain and the weather, the rain especially - we can't do much about the wind [but] we've put an extra two bays on the big tent and we've added extra bays on the small tent. So there's more cover for the punters."

Alaina Oakley, of Invercargill, counts the shucked oysters during the oyster-opening heats at the...
Alaina Oakley, of Invercargill, counts the shucked oysters during the oyster-opening heats at the 2017 Bluff Oyster & Food Festival. PHOTO: JANETTE GELLATLY

He confirmed two oyster boats went out yesterday and hoped the entire fleet would be out today. "So it'll be fresh oysters for the weekend."

Promotions officer Lindsay Beer said tickets sold out in record time this year and people were coming from all over for a taste of the famous Bluff oyster.

"All the tickets were gone by February. A lot of chatter online about people coming from all over - not only New Zealand, but Australia and further afield."

He said there would be new events in the festival line-up.

"We have oyster-eating races every year, which are very, very competitive. People get selected from the crowd to come up and have a go and that's very popular. This year a separate event was added on to the end of the programme: some of those oysters will be dipped in wasabi and chilli oil and it'll be a real challenge and a lot of fun."

- Sharon Reece

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