Hervey Bay Seafood Festival 2022

From mouth-watering prawns to fresh oysters, the Fraser Coast’s biggest seafood festival is nearly here. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store for seafood lovers this year. VIDEO:

The Hervey Bay Seafood Festival is returning to the Seafront Oval in August, but this year, on a Saturday.

Seafood lovers can prepare for a day packed with delicious regional flavours, live entertainment, cooking demos, and mouth-watering seafood.

Speaking at the official launch at the beach beside the oval on Wednesday, Odyssey Bistro owners Scott Thompson and Jason England gave a sneak peek into what’s on offer this year.

“We’re hoping to get through 120 dozen oysters that we’re shucking in the morning of and throughout the day, so if people can support us so we have no wastage that would be amazing,” Mr England said.

Odyssey Bistro will be a vendor at the festival, serving up double-fish cheeseburgers, mojitos and Scott’s signature violet cloud martinis.

‘We’re a big believer in supporting the local suppliers and farmers around us, so to be involved and showcase what we can get our hands on within the region, from Sunshine Coast hinterland through the Mary Valley and here within the Fraser Coast area … is something we’re really proud of,” Mr England said.

Odyssey Bistro owners Jason England and Scott Thompson announcing the Hervey Bay Seafood Festival for 2022.

He added after a “tough” two years in the hospitality industry, events like the Seafood Festival were great for tourism and to show locals the produce in our “amazing backyard”.

Mr Thompson said the Odyssey team worked closely with local producers and fisherman.

“We’re very fortunate that we have some commercial fisherman here who go out fishing on the day, they send us a text message – we’ve got it in the restaurant that same day,” he said.

“It’s a pretty unique relationship that we do have with these guys … we just love to showcase it to the region here.”

Hervey Bay Seafood Festival announcement 2022. Left to right. Fraser Coast Councillor Darren Everard, Odyssey Bistro owners Scott Thompson and Jason England, and Chelsea Larner-Simpson from Fraser Coast Tourism & Events.

Fraser Coast Councillor Darren Everard encouraged locals to invite their friends and family from outside the region to also come and enjoy the festival.

“It’s just a great day to get out and sample some of our local produce,” Cr Everard said.

He said Fraser Coast local fisheries would have a tonne of prawns ready to go for the big day.

“We really do encourage our locals to get out and support these local events because it’s the heart and soul of our community,” he said.

Event Manager for Fraser Coast Tourism and Events Chelsea Larner-Simpson said this year’s festival would have 15 to 20 food vendors, plus markets, wineries and a few local distilleries.

“So last year through the gates we had over 4500, that was with our postponed date … so we’re expecting to see around that 5000 people mark,” Ms Larner-Simpson said.

Some of the mouth-watering seafood that will be available at the Hervey Bay Seafood Festival 2022.

She also said in a statement, this year’s festival would have seafood from outside the Fraser Coast.

“We have expanded this year’s festival to include not just Fraser Coast Seafood but Australian Seafood, allowing for the inclusion of other seafood such as Oysters that are not commercially farmed on the Fraser Coast,” she said in a statement.

“We have confirmed more than 1 tonne of prawns for this year’s festival and over half a tonne of shell-on prawns from the crew at Boat Harbour Fisheries.”

The Hervey Bay Seafood Festival will be held at the Seafront Oval on Saturday, August 13 from 10am to 5pm.

Tickets are available to purchase here: www.herveybayseafoodfestival.com.au