Oysters, Beer and Pony Rides

The Bristol Oyster Festival returns on June 18, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. First off, there’s a huge charity component to the festival. Last year, $8,000 went to the March of Dimes – no small feat. This year, organizers are aiming for $12,000 to go towards the cause’s mission of preventing birth defects and fighting premature births.

This year’s event will feature more food vendors, more entertainment and more fun. There will be pony rides and a petting zoo for kids, a live DJ, ice cream from Gray’s Ice Cream, beer from the RI Craft Beer Guild, food trucks, at least six varieties of local oysters – shucked to order – and RWU professors on hand to talk about how oyster aquaculture has positively influenced the state.

Over 800 people attended last year’s free event. “The little town of Bristol was flooded with people last year. It was good for the community,” says Gina Colon, marketing manager at DeWolf Tavern and the event’s main organizer. She’s hoping that folks will stick around after the event to shop at the local small businesses and have dinner in town.

The festival will overlook Bristol Harbor and run from the alley between the Bristol Harbor Inn and DeWolf to the parking lot in the back. And since hundreds of people are expected to come, there’s easy access to the festival right from the bike path.

Serendipitously, the event has been held on Father’s Day for the last three years, a tradition that’s not going to be broken any time soon. Seems like this could be the perfect gift for Dad, the Bristol community and March of Dimes. 259 Thames Street, Bristol.