A big thank you to everyone who joined us for Stranraer Oyster Festival 2025!
There were so many magical moments that made this year's festival so special, here are some of the highlights.
Sunday Oyster Kitchen
Matt Tebbutt raced to the scenic shores of Loch Ryan from the BBC's Saturday Kitchen studio to make his festival debut. He took part in several events during the weekend, including leading the new Sunday Oyster Kitchen experience. Matt commented: "The story of Loch Ryan's native oysters is remarkable. You've got this incredible natural resource that's been sustainably managed for centuries, and now it's the heart of a festival that's brought a whole community together. That's exactly the kind of food story I want to be part of."
Rosemary Shrager
One of Britain's most beloved TV chefs, Rosemary Shrager, joined us for cooking demos, conversations, afternoon tea and lots of laughter. Her warmth and expertise have made her a household name through shows like The Real Marigold Hotel and I’m a Celebrity. At this year’s oyster festival, she shared stories from her remarkable career as well as her passion for cookery.
Tony & Julie Returned
Two firm festival favourites, Tony Singh, the festival's Chef Ambassador, returned for his fifth appearance, while Julie Lin returned for a third time. Both took part in their own 'Audience With...' events, as well as solo cookery demos. Julie also took part in an event in our new Speakers' Corner venue, where she talked about her fantastic new book 'Sama Sama'.
Scottish Shucking Championship
The ‘Shuck Off’ returned to Stranraer Oyster Festival, pitting chefs, oyster growers, producers, fishermen and industry professionals against each other in a bid to claim the title of Scottish Oyster Shucking Champion! The winner, Alexander Wallace, went on to represent Scotland at the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway, Ireland.
The Oyster Bar
The Oyster Bar is where festival-goers went to indulge in the real stars of Stranraer Oyster Festival – the oysters themselves! There are Loch Ryan natives to try, as well as farmed rock oysters. For anyone trying oysters for the first time, the Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery team are always happy to spend time offering advice and tips about how best to enjoy them.
Oyster Encounters
The festival programme brought lots of opportunities to get to know our ecological heroes - Loch Ryan's precious native oysters. There was a take-over of the Speakers' Corner marquee by SCAMP (Solway Coast and Marine Project), and we also welcomed back to the festival some of the marine biologists who shared such fascinating information with us.
Amazing Local Food & Drink
If you've been to Stranraer Oyster Festival before, you'll know the artisan market and the street food stalls offer a fantastic showcase of local food, drink and craft producers. The 2025 event did not disappoint, with limited edition Oyster Festival products, some exciting new stalls and some familiar stallholders. This proved a brilliant opportunity for visitors to discover unique locally-sourced products, and to fill their baskets - and their bellies - with a wide range of tasty goods!
Community Events & Experiences
Stranraer Oyster Festival is all about growing our community, as well as celebrating Loch Ryan's native oysters. There was a bumper line up of events and experiences that showcased the people and the stories happening our town. Visitors found out all about Stranraer and what is driving community regeneration in the area, with wheelbarrows of inspiration in Speakers' Corner on Sunday morning!
Inspiring Conversations
Back for a third year as host of our Kitchen Marquee and the chef events in the new Speakers' Corner is Don Sloan, founder of the Oxford Cultural Collective. Known for promoting the power of food to help places and communities thrive, it's easy to see why he's fallen for Stranraer Oyster Festival.
