NC Oyster Festival — Local services in Ocean Isle Beach

Overall this is an OK festival. The band was good, most of the setup made sense, and there was many vendors for goods and souvenirs. We personally had no issue with the shuttles but seemed to have timed it right. Tons of porta-potty access and they were very clean, as well as the rest of the grounds.

Now the other side: to call this an oyster festival is ambitious at best. It is more "a festival that happens to have ONE oyster tent festival" with $40 cash only for a mostly filled bucket, one packet of crackers, and one packet of hot sauce.

Whoever setup the food vendor area was either inexperienced or wildly underestimated attendance. All the food vendors were in one small fenced off area on the side with only ONE small gate to get in and out of the area so constant bottleneck and fighting to get through. Additionally, all the lines mixed together since there was no space for everybody so it was barely organized chaos at best.

Luckily, you didn't have to deal with many drunks because the beer tent (which was not next to the food but rather across the street from the festival) ran out of all but white claws and a stout (on a hot sunny day) by 2 p.m. You could go to the restaurant next door though and wait in line for 30 minutes if you are very thirsty.

I'm not saying I won't go next year, but we'll probably eat beforehand and not expect many oysters at all. Overall, a mild to fair time at the NC Festival with one oyster...

The festival was a good time, mostly vendors selling crafts and food. Plenty of portable rest rooms which is a must. The music was more hip hop and not country or older rock which would have been better. The big failure was the shuttle service. People were being turned away from buses because they were going to specific locations only, such as Lowe's. Well they pass by the Subway lot and the airport so why not have each bus just make the loop picking up and dropping off? I got on a bus for the airport but needed the Subway lot. There were plenty of angry people not getting a ride while standing in the sun for over 30 minutes waiting while breathing exhaust fumes. A major failure. I won't use that service again. If I can't drive myself to the Island next...

Got a dozen oysters and lobster roll . Cost $38.00 The lobster roll was 2/3 of a hot dog bun with some very small pieces of salad/ celery and bits of small what appeared to be lobster meat. We were in shock. We'll NEVER eat at that Main Oyster proprieter ( Dirty Don's ? ) under the tent again. Vendors outside of the tent had reasonable food. Shame on the powers that be that they would allow such " robbery " . They should change out that vendor under the tent with a better quality and reasonable one. Very limited Oyster selection. We attended the Oyster festival in Chincoteague, Virginia and that was an Oyster Fedtival. Plenty of different options of Oysters to eat with reasonable prices. This festival was VERY...