What a weekend it was! Over the late May Bank Holiday, the Crown & Anchor Oyster Fest 2026 returned in style, bringing three unforgettable days of delicious food, live entertainment, sunshine and, of course, plenty of oysters.
From the moment the festival got underway, the garden was buzzing with excitement. With the sun shining and the drinks flowing, guests settled in for a weekend packed with great food, fantastic music and plenty of shucking action.
The daily shucking competitions were a firm favourite, drawing crowds as competitors battled it out to showcase their oyster-opening skills. It was fast, impressive and occasionally a little messy – exactly what you want from an Oyster Fest!
Roaming shuckers also kept guests entertained throughout the garden, making sure freshly shucked oysters were never far away.
And just how popular were they? By the end of the weekend, an incredible 2,600 oysters had been sold! Safe to say, our guests came hungry.
Sunday brought one of the musical highlights of the weekend, as the brilliant Fat Cat Brass Band filled the garden with energy throughout the afternoon.
As the afternoon rolled into evening, the Selsey Sea Shanties took over, keeping the crowd entertained with their lively singing well into the evening. With everyone gathered together, drinks in hand and the sound of sea shanties drifting through the garden, it was the perfect seaside festival atmosphere.
Of course, no festival at the Crown & Anchor would be complete without plenty of fantastic food.
The Salt Shack was cooking up a storm alongside the outdoor BBQ, oyster bar and Big Green Egg, serving up a mouth-watering selection throughout the weekend.
Landlord Chris and Head Chef Phyl were right at the heart of the action, helping keep our hungry festival-goers well fed and happy from start to finish.
No festival is complete without a little merchandise, and Oyster Fest 2026 delivered.
Festival-goers could pick up exclusive bucket hats, t-shirts, tote bags and more, giving everyone the chance to take a little piece of the weekend home with them.
And there was one offer that really stood out: buy a festival t-shirt and receive three free oysters at next year’s Oyster Fest!
Now that’s what we call a worthwhile wardrobe investment.
As though the weekend needed any more star power, legendary chef Pierre Koffmann stopped by for lunch.
But rather than simply enjoying his visit, Pierre got stuck straight into the action and even lent a hand putting away a chip delivery!
It was one of those wonderfully unexpected moments that perfectly summed up the spirit of the weekend – great food, great people and plenty of fun.
With glorious weather, incredible food, fantastic entertainment and an atmosphere that lasted from the first shuck to the final sea shanty, Crown & Anchor Oyster Fest 2026 was one to remember.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, ate with us, drank with us, danced with us and, most importantly, helped us get through 2,600 oysters!
If you missed out this year, there’s really no excuse next time.
Mark the late May Bank Holiday firmly in your diary and get ready for Oyster Fest 2027.
We’ll see you there – shucker at the ready! 🦪