A big thank you to everyone who joined us for Stranraer Oyster Festival 2026!
Here are some of the highlights from the magical moments that made this year's festival so special.
Every celebrity chef from 2025 returned
We were delighted to welcome back every single celebrity chef who joined us in 2025. Matt Tebbutt, Tony Singh, Rosemary Shrager, and Julie Lin were all back in the Kitchen Marquee for 2026. Sunday Oyster Kitchen also made a return, an idea we shamelessly borrowed from Matt Tebbutt's Saturday Kitchen. It went down so well that we brought it back - a relaxed two-hour session to set Sunday off in style.
Scottish Oyster Shucking Championship
The 'Shuck Off' returned on Saturday 12th September, pitting chefs, oyster growers, producers, fishermen and industry professionals against each other for the title of Scottish Oyster Shucking Champion. The winner will go on to represent Scotland at the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway, Ireland.
The Oyster Bar
The Oyster Bar is where festival-goers go to indulge in the real stars of Stranraer Oyster Festival, the oysters themselves. There were Loch Ryan natives to try, alongside farmed rock oysters, and so popular, the Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery team were sold out by Sunday afternoon - a first for the festival.
Live music line-up
The 2026 festival welcomed back local favourites Astoria on Friday evening and the hugely popular Rollin Drones, returning after their stand-out 2025 performance to headline Saturday night. The festival closed on Sunday with Stevie Wonder tribute act Higher Ground.
Inspiring Conversations
Back for a fourth year as host of our Kitchen Marquee was 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. Stranraer's own Helen Cross led the kitchen conversations with our local chefs, speaking of which...
Local Heroes
For many in Stranraer, it's not really an oyster festival without the Lisi brothers. Dougie and Massi have been part of the festival since before it launched and remained among its most-loved fixtures. This year their Saturday evening session, Local Heroes, brought them together again, alongside Erin Bullard of Dark Sky Spirits, the Moffat distillery that has produced a special Stranraer Oyster Festival whisky for several years running, and a local food producer.
Amazing Local Food & Drink
The festival's artisan market and street food stalls were a fantastic showcase of local food, drink and craft producers from across Galloway and beyond. Limited-edition Oyster Festival products, exciting new stalls and familiar favourites, it proved a fantastic opportunity to discover unique locally sourced products and to fill your basket, and your belly, with all manner of tasty goods.
VIP Weekend Tickets
New for 2026, our VIP Weekend Ticket was designed for those who'd like to enjoy the festival in style while giving a little something back. It included full weekend access, a reserved seat in a private VIP area, complimentary drinks, canapés and oysters across the weekend, visits from our celebrity chefs, complimentary entry to one of the four flagship events, and a dedicated personal contact to look after you. Every penny supports the festival and the community-led work behind it.
Community Events & Experiences
Stranraer Oyster Festival is about growing our community as much as celebrating Loch Ryan's native oysters. Our 2026 community programme was full of free-to-attend activities, family programming, and events that showcased the people, stories and energy that make this town what it is.
