BATON ROUGE, LA (May 18, 2019) —The 2019 Baton Rouge Oyster Festival is rapidly approaching. Are you wondering what to expect moving into the festivals weekend?

SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2019
The Baton Rouge Oyster Festival kicks off at 10:30 a.m. at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar with the Bloody Revolution Pre-Party. The “Gourmet Bloody Mary Mixer Brand” will host the second Bloody Revolution Pre-Party with craft Bloody Mary’s created from its multitude of flavors dedicated to packing a punch no matter the occasion.
All food vendors and bars will open at noon. Outdoor festivities begin at 1:30 p.m. with the Oyster Shucking Competition followed by music performances beginning at 2:30 p.m. with J and the Causeways. Adam Dale follows from 3:45-4:30 p.m. with the Oyster Eating Competition taking place at 4:45 p.m. After oysters are in order, Meriwether takes the stage from 5:15-6:30 p.m. followed by the Soul Rebels from 7:00-8:15 p.m. The winners of the 2019 Oyster Cook-off will be announced at 8:45 p.m. Toad the Wet Sprocket will close out the festival, taking the stage from 9:00-10:30 p.m.
The Oyster Festival presents “Under the Shell” which is a series of guest speakers hosting talks about the oyster industry, coastal conservation and more in the House Chambers of the Old State Capitol.
Join everyone after the festival at the BXS Insurance After Party at Happy’s Irish Pub on 3rd St with live music by the Anteeks. Please come and enjoy our food and arts markets on the festival grounds. Also, the Aetna Kid’s Zone will take place on the Old State Capitol lawn from Noon - 6:00 p.m. There will be an Aetna Obstacle Course along with Gymfit’s Ninja Warrior obstacles, parkour obstacles and a Circus Arts interactive area with
juggling, acrobatics, and more! Check out the full lineup for activities here.
As you travel throughout the festival, treat yourself to something along the way with gourmet oysters from Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, fresh seafood by Mansurs on the Boulevard or a cold beverage at one of the many drinks tents dotting the festival grounds.
VIP tickets are still available, providing ticket holders with food and drinks, private bathrooms, tents, cash bars and stage viewing. Purchase tickets here.
Volunteers for the festival are needed. If you are interested in volunteering, you may sign up here. Or you can reach out to the Oyster Festival via Facebook or Instagram. The Baton Rouge Oyster Festival is a free and open-to-the-public event and is made possible through the financial support from sponsors and beverage vending sales. Attendees are encouraged to purchase food and drink from the festival and its vendors. Ice chests and pets are not allowed on the festival grounds.
The lineup and performance times are subject to change. For more information, or to schedule interviews with festival organizers, please contact Chris Brooks at batonrougeoysterfestival@gmail.com

Baton Rouge Oyster Festival Benefactor

The benefactor of the 2019 Baton Rouge Oyster Festival is the Coalition To Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), a non-profit dedicated to coastal restoration through large-scale land building. The CRCL was founded in 1988 and has since worked tirelessly to prevent the further loss of existing Louisiana coastlines through educational programs, the recycling of natural resources such as Christmas trees and oyster shells, and annual events aimed at raising awareness concerning our receding coast. Their methods of oyster shell recycling, a tactic the Baton Rouge Oyster Festival is proud to assist in, aids oyster reef developments as baby oysters use the recycled shells for settlement and growth. In essence, by attending the 2019 Baton Rouge Oyster Festival, you are directly helping to cultivate the cuisine showcased there! Our hope is to see visitors at our festival not only partaking in the consumption of this Louisiana delicacy but also learning how to advocate for the important protection of our entire environment.

About the Baton Rouge Oyster Festival

Free and open to the public, the second annual 2019 Baton Rouge Oyster Festival will be held on May 18 in downtown Baton Rouge from 12 - 10:30 p.m. Produced by local Baton Rouge businessmen, the festival is made possible in part by the volunteer Oyster Festival committee, local support and generous partners including Absolute Vodka, Aetna, AshCo., Avion Tequila, Baton Rouge Title Company, Ben E. Keith Co., Budlight, BXS Insurance, City of Baton Rouge, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Coca- Cola, DIG Baton Rouge, Downtown Business Association, Downtown Development District, Eagle 98.1, GMFS Mortgage, Happy’s Irish Pub, Herc Rentals, Hilton Hotel, Hotel Indigo, Jameson, Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, Lamar Advertising, Louisiana Old State Capitol, Louisiana Seafood, Malibu Rum, Premier Sound Services, Red Bull, Regal Nails, Seaglass Wine Company, Swamp Dragon, The Law Office of Ossie Brown, The Penthouse, Tin Roof Brewing Company,Visit Baton Rouge, WAFB, Watermark Hotel, White Claw Hard Seltzer, and Wine and Spirit Education Trust. In order to keep the festival free, we appreciate your cooperation in supporting our vendors and not bringing any outside food or drink.
Follow the festival on Facebook or Instagram for the most up-to-date information.