FAQs

At the Festival, our guest’s safety is our number one priority. We take standards for hygiene and cleanliness very seriously and are taking proper steps to ensure the safety of our guests. For the 2023 Festival we will be putting into effect heightened precautions for sanitization, disinfection, and cleaning measures. There will be additional access to hand sanitizer throughout the Festival Tent.

If patrons are exhibiting signs of sickness they may be prohibited from entering the Festival grounds or asked to see the onsite EMS. The Festival is working closely with Health PEI and will be following all of the current regulations and recommendations regarding Covid-19.

There will be food allergens, specifically related to Shellfish, at the Festival and even with our high level of food safety standards, we cannot guarantee that food has not come in contact with allergens.

Find the full schedule of events here.

Yes, the tent is fully wheelchair accessible. Services include an accessible parking lot for those with government issued parking passes and accessible washrooms.

Sounds like you had a great night! Try our lost and found located at the box office onsite. If the Festival is over and you still haven’t found them email info@peishellfish.com and we will see if we can track them down during clean up.

Take a stroll through the Shellfish Pavilion to find our amazing Island vendors serving up delicious local eats. You won’t leave hungry! There will be something for everyone, including non-seafood options. You can find more information about the Shellfish Pavilion here.

Just a reminder that the Shellfish Festival is a cashless event, so all food and drink must be purchased with Shellfish Bucks. You can easily load your Shellfish Bucks Card before or during the festival and enjoy contactless payment at all vendors.

Buying food, drinks and Shellfish merchandise at the festival will be a breeze with the new Shellfish Bucks Card, a rechargeable card that can be loaded with Shellfish Bucks and used through tap at all vendors. You can load your Shellfish Bucks Card online in September, or you can purchase Shellfish Bucks during the festival at one of our Shellfish Bucks Kiosks.

Shellfish Bucks are non-refundable, but they can be used at next year’s Festival.

Come prepared! PEI can bring unpredictable weather and remember, you are in a tent! Being located on the water can make things a bit chilly. We hope for amazing weather this September but dress accordingly. Feel free to break out those rubber boots, that rain coat (fingers crossed it won’t be necessary), and a warm sweater for those chilly Fall nights.

The Festival showcases 6 live culinary competitions throughout the whole weekend with over $26,000 in cash prizes given out over the 3 days!

Garland Canada International Chef Showdown
A fierce competition for $10,000, top chefs from across Canada compete head to head in a shellfish inspired culinary competition.

PEI Potato Chowder Championship
PEI Potato Chowder Championship is presented by the PEI Potato Board and will promise a good time for all competitors, as well as promote the many ways to enjoy potatoes, oysters, mussels and other Island shellfish.

Raspberry Point International Oyster Shucking Championship
The best shuckers in the world come to compete on the festival Main Stage to showcase their talents and PEI’s oysters on the half shell. This competition is sponsored by Raspberry Point.

Irish Point Oysters Shucking Championship
Cheer on the competitors as they vie for the chance to hold the PEI oyster shucking title championship.

Tie One On Mussel Competition
Competitors challenge themselves against the best in the industry in the art of tying buoys and socks! Watch them race against the clock in this head to head challenge.

The PEI International Shellfish Festival is the best way to get up close and personal with your favourite celebrity chef. There will be a live culinary demonstration daily on the main stage by the celebrity chef. The celebrity chef will also be hosting the Feast and Frolic dinner on Thursday, September 15th with many chances to interact and get up close and personal with the chef! Please refer to full schedule of events for the scheduled culinary demonstrations and please note times are subject to change.

Be prepared for live Shellfish competitions, cooking demonstrations, and even a celebrity chef sighting or two. At night dance the night away at the biggest East Coast kitchen party, with some of Atlantic Canada’s best known entertainment. When you’re starting to crave Shellfish after taking in all the live competitions check out our Shellfish Pavilion for some fresh local Shellfish prepared on site. Our audiences are an oyster slurping, beer drinking, music loving kind of crowd whose love for awesome Shellfish and amazing artists bring an unforgettable energy to the tent everyday. Trust us – if you love fresh Shellfish and dancing the night away you don’t want to miss this!

Yes, if you have purchased an all-day access pass, you may leave and return, but you must obtain a wristband and it must be placed securely on your wrist for re-entry. Guests with an afternoon-only ticket must exit the tent at 5:00 pm. Please Note: We can guarantee priority entry with any valid ticket prior to 7 pm. Failure to arrive at the tent by 7 pm may result in extended wait times and in extreme circumstances the possibility of no entry.

Yes! Our vendors and staff work hard to provide you with top quality service and it is possible to tip upon purchase with your Shellfish Bucks Card.

The Shellfish party happens at the Charlottetown Event Grounds located in downtown Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. You can find parking at 360 Grafton street right across from the main entrance. The party doesn’t end here… take one of our shuttles to our participating restaurants to finish off your night. Don’t worry our shuttles will return you to our participating hotels for your safety. Check out our hotel packages here.

There will be an ATM at the festival box office.

Just a reminder, the Festival is cashless and Shellfish Bucks will be available to be purchased online or on site.

The Festival’s Extenuating Circumstance Cancellation Policy protects travellers from cancellation penalties due to travel advisories or safety precautions imposed by the WHO or our guests’ jurisdiction’s government in relation to viruses, including COVID-19. Refunds will be offered only in the event of NEW travel restrictions that affect your ability to travel being imposed. if there are no new restrictions imposed after your time of booking, our no refund policy will apply.

*Please note that tickets purchased with a credit card will be subject to a third party credit card fee upon return.

Due to demand we can guarantee priority entry with any valid ticket prior to 7pm. Please be aware that failure to arrive by 7pm may result in extended wait times and in extreme circumstances the possibility of no entry.

Tickets are on sale now! You can purchase them here.

Refunds are offered only in instances of Extenuating Circumstances. Please see the policy above.

Yes, there are three types of tickets for this year’s festival.

Our All Day tickets will grant you access to the tent from 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. All Day tickets include free admission to the Festival on Sunday.

Our Afternoon Only tickets will grant you access to the tent from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Our Weekend Pass will grant you access to the tent from open to close Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Afternoon Only ticket holders will be able to pay the difference and purchase All Day tickets ONLY if the Festival has not sold out for that day. We can not guarantee there will be tickets available at the gate, so if you want to stay for the party, we recommend you purchase your All Day tickets in advance.

General admission tickets include access to the Festival tent for all of the fun, including celebrity chef demos, competitions, and nightly entertainment. Afternoon Only tickets grant access to the Festival from noon to 5:00 pm and All Day tickets grant access to the Festival from open to close. Food and beverages are available for purchase at the Festival and are not included with ticket purchase.

Tickets will be scanned at the Shellfish Festival gate. You can either print a copy, or have the tickets on your smartphone to be scanned. 

In the event of sell out, everyone with a ticket will be guaranteed entry for the date and hours of their ticket type. For all day tickets entry is only guaranteed until 7pm date of show. If you have not purchased your tickets in advance, please check our website www.peishellfish.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for live updates from the tent to avoid disappointment at the gate.

Yes! You can purchase tickets onsite at our box office located at the Charlottetown Event Grounds. The box office will accept cash, visa, master card, and debit. Please note tickets onsite may be limited due to capacity, to be sure to not miss the party buy your ticket in advance. *Please check the shellfish festival website, facebook or twitter for up to date information on availability of tickets at the door.

Little skippers, children 6 and under are free! Our venue becomes 19+ after 8pm.

Visit our Official Hotel Partner page for information on exclusive Shellfish Festival room rates.

Parking is $5.00. The parking lot is located across from the event site and be accessed off Grafton Street. Complimentary shuttle runs daily from the Shellfish Festival official hotels and downtown Charlottetown. View the shuttle schedule here.

Seats are not allowed in the tent – but don’t worry we have tables and chairs for you to take in all of the action! (Please note seating is limited, arrive early to grab a seat.)

Yes, snap a photo of the celebrity chefs, exciting competitions and heaping plates of delicious Shellfish! Share your Shellfish Festival experience with your friends and make sure to tag us with the hashtag #peishellfishfest and #shuckinggoodtime

No. No outside food or beverages of any kind is allowed. Once inside the Festival, you can purchase food and drink with your Shellfish Bucks. We have stocked bars with a selection of wine, beer liquor, and of course Mott’s Clamato Caesars. Hungry for Shellfish, we’ve got lots check out our menu here.

No, pets are not permitted on Festival grounds. Service dogs are welcome.

We can point you in the right direction. Email info@peishellfish.com to discuss media details and to be added to our media list.

We accept artist submissions from performers only between October-April for the following years line up. Email info@peishellfish.com with your request.

We are always looking for new and enthusiastic volunteers! All volunteers will receive a branded PEI International Shellfish Festival apron, daily admission ticket and complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages during shift. Got a question about volunteer opportunities? Email info@peishellfish.com.