Oyster Events A Huge Festival Attraction

Oyster Opening and Oyster Eating races are always two very unique, very popular facets of the annual Bluff Oyster & Food Festival.

New Zealand oyster opening champion Keith Lovett is ready to defend his title at the Festival on Saturday 22 May. Lovett took a clean sweep at last year's Festival as he scooped the pool winning the Open, Veterans and Blindfold titles. His fastest time of the day came in the first heat of the open when he opened his 50 oysters in 2 minutes 26.39 seconds. It was, he thought, the sixth year in a row that he had won the Open title. Keith says he is in good shape and ready to take on all comers for the coveted crown again in 2010. Oyster opening race categories include Men's, Women's, Veterans and Blindfold classes together with the keenly contested factory relay for the W.E. Johnson Memorial Shield.

The Oyster Eating Competition is a truly international event. Last year one of the heats featured entrants from New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Israel, Germany and Switzerland in a race won by the Australian entry. The rules are simple - use a toothpick to eat one dozen succulent Bluff Oysters in the quickest time. Contestants are chosen from the audience on the day to participate in the eating events while Celebrity Races are also held. Last year Warrick Hyland of Kerikeri took out the Men's Oyster Eating title while the Chairman of the Bluff Community Board, Jan Mitchell won the Women's title.

Among the celebrity oyster eating entrants this year are multiple champion Tom Sawyer, Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel team members, Zero Fees Southland Sharks stars together with Shortland Street's Kiel McNaughton and Robbie Magasiva plus Good Morning host Brendon Pongia. MasterChef judge Ray McVinnie, attending the Festival in his role as the Food Editor of Cuisine Magazine, is a late addition to the field.

Tickets for the Festival are on sale at a cost of $16 each while tickets for children 12 & under will sell at $5 each. The Festival venue is limited to 5000 people on the day so Festival organisers are urging people to pre-book to ensure they gain admission.

Tickets are available from the Invercargill City Council Booking Office in Esk Street, Invercargill, the Bluff Service Centre, Gore Street, Bluff and www.ticketdirect.co.nz . Bookings can also be made by phone at 03 211 1692 or 0800 484 2538 or online at service@icc.govt.nz in addition to www.ticketdirect.co.nz

The Festival will feature a mouthwatering array of food and beverage with the Bluff Oyster the star of the show. Other activities include the Kayes Bakery Creativity Awards.

EFTPOS facilities will be available at the venue as well as at the Bluff Service Centre, 100 metres from the site on Gore Street. Car parking is also available on Foreshore Road within easy walking distance of the Festival site. Bus services will operate from Invercargill on the at a cost of $12 return at 10am, 11am and 12 noon before returning at 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm.