Around here, seafood season is 24-7/365.
But the cooler months of fall in Coastal Virginia are especially great for enjoying shrimp, crabs, oysters, fish and more outdoors. And why not do it with a hundreds—or even tens of thousands—of your closet seafood-loving friends? In this edition of our recurring “Five to Try” series, we’ve got a fresh catch of five local seafood-focused festivals featuring all the seafood you can shake a fish stick at.
Crabtown Shellabration
September 13 -14, 2025
Serving up Hampton hometown flavors, the Crabtown Seafood Shellabration returns to the downtown waterfront each summer. The festival includes merchandise vendors, exhibitors, games and activities all highlighted by an array of seafood vendors and great live entertainment. The event honors Hampton’s history as a town built by seafood and showcases its still thriving community. Come and enjoy great food, music and people at scenic Mill Point Park and the Downtown Hampton area. This is a free community event (pay as you go for seafood, vendors and etc.). You might even learned how Hampton earned the nickname “Crabtown.” hampton.gov
Kiwanis Peninsula Seafood Festival
September 27, 2025
Bring your lawn chair and your appetite for deliciousness to this 14th annual fun-filled event held at the Hellenic Community Center in Newport News and featuring all-you-can-eat seafood, BBQ, adult beverages, live music by SLAPNATION BAND, raffles, silent auction, door prizes and more. The seafood menu includes oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp, scallops, crabcakes and more. Advance tickets are $75 after Sept. 5. This event benefits services for children in the communities served by the Kiwanis Clubs of Division 13. You can also support the VA Peninsula Foodbank by bringing canned goods or non-perishable items to donate at the event. kiwanispeninsulaseafoodfestival.com
Yorktown Wine & Oyster Festival
October 4-5, 2025
You know what makes oysters even better? Virginia wines to wash them down. Yorktown invites you to “shell-ebrate” at Riverwalk Landing along the beautiful York River for this two-day event pairing the finest Virginia wines with the freshest local seafood—including succulent oysters served raw, roasted and steamed. Sip and stroll along the scenic waterfront while enjoying live music, gourmet food trucks and artisan vendors. One- or two-day tickets range from $40-$85. Optional add-ons are available such as the Enhanced Wine Tasting experience and Boats & Bordeaux paint and sip, both in the Yorktown Freight Shed. visityorktown.com
Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum
44th Annual Pig & Oyster Festival
October 26, 2025
Ever since the Old Coast Guard Station moved 100 feet across the Virginia Beach Oceanfront to its current location in 1979 , the annual fundraiser has been a local “must-do” festival. Locally sourced oysters, fried chicken, and pork BBQ, with beer trucks, wine, and live music, silent auction and more—right on the Virginia Beach oceanfront at 24th Street Park. Visit vbsurfrescuemuseum.org for tickets and more information.
Coastal Virginia Magazine
Virginia Beach Seafood Festival Benefitting
The Virginia Gentlemen Foundation
November 1, 2025
Coastal Virginia Magazine is thrilled to partner with The Virginia Gentlemen Foundation for this annual event held on the grounds of State Military Reservation (formerly Camp Pendleton) in Virginia Beach. Celebrate fall and all the flavors of our local waters with an afternoon of fresh seafood, refreshing beverages and community—all in support of The Virginia Gentlemen Foundation. Savor regional culinary creations and enjoy a day filled with live entertainment and local fare including expertly crafted seafood dishes from some of your favorite local restaurants and chefs. Advance general admission tickets are $50, and VIP tickets are $100. vbseafoodfestival.com
Urbanna Oyster Festival
November 7-8, 2025
The grandaddy of all local oyster fests for nearly 70 years, the Urbanna Oyster Festival in charming Urbanna showcases the town’s unique maritime history and location on the Rappahannock River. Held annually on the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of November, this event draws more 50,000 visitors, transforming the town of just 500 residents into a bustling celebration of all things oyster.
A “pay-as-you-go” festival, entry is free, but certain areas, experiences and parking may require a fee. Whether you’re there for the oysters, live music, parades or people watching, you’ll have a shucking good time. urbannaoysterfestival.com
