The first Inland Bays Oyster Week starts today.
The week-long event is organized by Delaware Sea Grant at the University of Delaware and Southern Delaware Tourism.
The week includes events like boat tours, wine and oyster tastings and an art show. It will close with the first-ever Delaware Seafood Festival in Millsboro.
The collaboration began with a conversation between Ed Lewandowski, Delaware Sea Grant’s community and economic development specialist, and Scott Thomas, the Southern Delaware Tourism executive director, at a shellfish aquaculture seminar last fall.
Delaware was the last state on the East Coast to legalize commercial oyster aquaculture in 2017.
“So the industry is still in its infancy, so to speak,” Lewandowski said. “What they've been able to do is start to establish brand recognition, and they're fantastic tasting oysters.”
Lewandowski and Thomas teamed up to spread the word about local oysters.
“We're going up against many more established brands,” Lewandowski said. “So trying to gain market entry can be a little bit daunting if you're a new grower and you're trying to get your product out there for the consumers.”
There is still a limited number of growers in Delaware, according to Lewandowski.
He calls Inland Bays Oyster Week an attempt to engage with the community and promote locally-grown oysters.
The full event calendar can be found at Delaware Sea Grant’s website.
