Crowds Travel From Afar for Bluff Oyster & Food Festival

It was sold out two months before the gates opened and the crowds arrived right on cue for the 2017 Bluff Oyster & Food Festival in Bluff today.

As always they came from every corner of the country and further afield proving the lure of the Bluff Oyster is as strong as ever. Three Air New Zealand Airbus jets arrived in Invercargill early in the day, two from Auckland and one from Wellington, each one full of festival goers. Others came by scheduled flights, cars, buses and campervans.

As the gates opened 4,500 people joined together to enjoy their fill of Bluff Oysters, other succulent seafood plus other food choices and beverages.

Festival Chairman John Edminstin heaped praise on his team of volunteers after a polar blast hit the region prior to the event. “They do a great job every year and we could not do it without them but I have to acknowledge what was a special effort this year. The weather on site yesterday (Friday) was diabolical but they pitched in, did a magnificent job and everything was ready to go on time. I can’t say enough about our team.” Having overcome the weather he was pleased with the result. “It is a great crowd and everyone is enjoying themselves.”

The Oyster Competitions drew a large audience as the openers demonstrated their skills while members of the crowd jostled to be selected for the Oyster Eating Competitions’. Defending champion Shane Wixon of Ngai Tahu Fisheries won the Men’s Opening race, opening 50 Bluff Oysters in a time of 2 minutes 36 seconds while he also won the Blindfold Race, opening 10 oysters in 34.2 seconds. Vic Pearsey made it seven straight titles in the Ladies Opening race with a time of 2 minutes 43 seconds. Team Barnes won the Relay event in a time of 5 minutes 16 seconds.

Daryl ‘Dagwood’ MacDonald of Blenheim retained the Men’s Oyster Eating title while Kathryn Gifkins of Inglewood in Taranaki won the Ladies Eating Final.
All Black centurion, Mils Muliaina, was a participant in one of the Oyster Eating races as he attended his first festival. Too busy with rugby commitments to attend previously he summed up his thoughts on the Festival in three words, “I’m loving it”!

On the main stage the entertainment was provided by international artist Helen Henderson plus The Bragg Brothers, The New Entrants, The Stoutfellows, Otepuni Moonshine, the Bluff School Kapa Haka Group and the Cook Island Drummers.
As the curtain came down on the 2017 event, tickets for the 2018 Festival scheduled for 26 May 2018 went on sale. The tickets are available on Trade Me (authorised seller – OysterFestival) and at ticketdirect 0800 224 224 – service fees apply.

Over the counter sales will be available from the Southland Chamber Of Commerce in the SIT Arcade at 48 Esk Street, Invercargill, the Foveaux Dairy, 268 Gore Street, Bluff and Dough Sea Dough at 26 McNulty Road, Cromwell. Tickets are $30 each while children 14 & under are $10 although children must be accompanied by an adult.

Thanks to New Zealand Post, the first 200 Trade Me or email purchasers via the festival website get their tickets sent for free via Courier Post. Such was the demand this year that tickets sold out two months before the gates opened so organisers are urging those keen to attend next year to make their purchases early.

OYSTER OPENING

MEN'S (50 OYSTERS)
1: Shane Wixon (Ngai Tahu) - 2min 36sec
2: Ricci Grant (Barnes) - 3min 05sec
3: Cory Boyce (Direct Fish) – 3min18sec
LADIES (50 OYSTERS)
1: Vic Pearsey (Barnes) - 2min 43sec
2: Peg Fisher (Direct Fish) - 3min 35sec
3: Raewyn Rautahi (Barnes) - 4min 16sec

BLINDFOLD (10 OYSTERS)
1: Shane Wixon (Ngai Tahu) – 34.2sec
2: Cory Boyce (Direct Fish) – 1min 22sec

RELAY (Teams of 4/20 Oysters per opener)
1: Team Barnes - 5min 16sec
2: Team Direct Fish - 5min 37sec

OYSTER EATING

MEN
Daryl 'Dagwood' MacDonald (Blenheim)
LADIES
Kathryn Gifkins (Inglewood)

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