Visits to seaweed and oyster farms and a presentation by an Alaska shellfish farmer are on tap at the virtual Alaska Shellfish and Seaweed Festival for four evenings in mid-May.
The festival, hosted by Alaska Sea Grant, kicks off on the evening of May 17 with an introduction to mariculture and the basics of seaweed and oyster farming, followed on the evening of May 18 with a video tour of oyster and seaweed farms and an introduction to an Alaska shellfish farmer.
The third night will feature a cooking demonstration with live oysters and kelp, plus instruction on how to shuck an oyster and how to pickle kelp. The final evening will feature presentations on traditional Alutiiq seaweed uses, and discussions about the future of mariculture and how aquaculture benefits coastal communities.
Any business interested in participating in the festival or being added to Alaska Sea Grant’s Alaska-grown shellfish and seaweed directory can contact Hannah Wilson at hannah.wilson@alaska.edu.
Registration is free and open to the public. Participants can register online at cdv.tiny.us/shellfish1.
Leading up to the festival and during the week of the festival itself anyone who orders seafood products from participating businesses will receive a gift package with recipe cards, a shucking knife and other mariculture-related items.
Check online at cdv.tiny.us/shellfish2 for updates on the festival schedule.
