This year the world-renowned Hillsborough International Oyster Festival celebrates its 20th year.  It now is rightly recognised as one of Northern Ireland’s premier events and is set in the historic, picturesque Georgian village of Hillsborough, Co. Down.

The Festival attracts thousands of visitors each year, with many coming from all corners of the globe.  On the Saturday of the Festival, the whole village is closed to traffic and the streets are packed with stalls, entertainment and plenty of family entertainment – and, of course, people selling oysters!

One of the Festival’s main attractions is the World Oyster Eating Championship. The Championship starts at 3.00pm on Saturday 8th September.

If it’s fine locally produced food and drink you’re after, the Festival Marquee will be packed with examples of Ulster’s finest food and that, linked with Ulster’s unique hospitality, will make sure that you will have a truly remarkable Festival experience.

As always, the main purpose of the Festival – apart from providing great fun, quality local food and a variety of entertainment to suit all ages, is to help to raise money for a nominated local charity.

This year’s nominated charity is The Jill Todd Trust.