Success! Comox Valley Shellfish Festival

Comox, BC June 21, 2010 – The 2 –day Comox Valley Shellfish Festival concluded yesterday and the combination of weather, attendance and record sales have organizers elated and already looking forward to next year’s event.

“First of all I have to thank Mother Nature for providing us with the best possible weather over
the weekend, it couldn’t have been better. Our gala dinner for 200 guests at the Filberg Lodge
was a huge success and we were able to raise $3,000 during our silent auction for Y.A.N.A. It
was great seeing all nine chefs and their sous-chefs working collaboratively to prepare the
finest nine-course seafood meal served on Vancouver Island,” said festival producer Matthew
Wright.

Sunday in Comox Marina Park drew a throng of locals and visitors alike to the site to enjoy live
music, a beer garden and plenty of tasty seafood treats.

“The festival day in Comox Park was also a huge success with record numbers in attendance
which we estimate to be over 2,000 people. Our food vendors were sold out by 3 p.m. and the
oyster shucking contest was a crowd favorite,” Wright said.

Nine competitors from as far away as Vancouver drew shucking knives and went toe-to-toe
while a large crowd curiously watched and cheered them on. At the final tally, it was 23 year-old
Comox Valley resident and line cook Devon Shute from Avenue Bistro who won the $500 cash
prize.

Organizers were also extremely pleased with the amount of attention the festival generated
this year culminating in a mention in this past weekend’s Globe & Mail as well as by the
attendance of two food/travel TV shows from both internationally and nationally broadcast
companies who will be highlighting the festival.

The festival would like to thank all the generous sponsors who generously donated to this
year’s live auction including BC Ferries, West Coast Air, Cindy Mawle, The Old House Village
Hotel & Spa, Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa, Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community, Atlas Café, Avenue Bistro, Horne Lake Caves, Mustang Survival, the Vancouver Aquarium, Mussels and More Pottery and Horne Lake Outdoor Centre.

Festival organizers are now setting their sights even higher for next year’s festival, stay tuned to
developments at www.comoxvalleyshellfishfestival.ca

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Pacific Kissed B.C. Oysters In Vancouver

Comox Valley on Vancouver Island is not only the where the locavore community was born in B.C. but also where much of the region's best shellfish comes from.  If you are lucky enough to be in Vancouver during the shellfish season, look for the Pacific Kiss oyster, B.C.'s renowned shellfish that has a sustainably farmed stamp of approval. Pacific Kiss affiliate partners are providing 12 different kinds of shellfish to be served side-by-side.  Participating restaurants are Monk McQueen's Restaurant and Patio and Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse.

British Columbia boasts some of the richest shores found throughout the world. There are over 1,000 oyster farmers caringly growing dozens of varieties of world-class oysters along those shores. Eating oysters in B.C. is eating locally sourced, sustainably cultivated food. In fact, when you choose to eat oysters in B.C. you are supporting a small farmer and a rural community.

The Pacific Kiss platter is offering a tasting of oysters, their full flavors offered side-by-side, giving a rare culinary experience to savor and compare the subtle differences in Beach oysters, to deep-water-cultured oysters to those oysters grown by the K'omox First Nations to the tray-cultured beach hardened oyster.  Each of the twelve varieties come from a different coastal region of B.C.  The Pacific Kiss stamp of approval authenticates that the oyster has been grown in a sustainable and environmentally sound way by a registered B.C. Shellfish Association member. Pacific Kiss respects and adheres to both the Sea Kiss and OceanWise programs.

 Here is a short video on How To Shuck An Oyster by Nigel McMeans, executive chef at the BlackFin Pub at the Marina in the Comox Valley:

A few more choices for fresh B.C. Shellfish are:
C Restaurant (an Ocean Wise Founding Restaurant Partner)

900 West Lounge - The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - 900 West Georgia Street - 604.684.3131
A Kettle of Fish – 900 Pacific Street - 604.682.6661
Aqua Riva – 200 Granville Street - 604.683.5599
Aria Restaurant & Lounge - 433 Robson Street - 604.602.1999

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