Blaine Chamber of Commerce executive director Jacquee Sovereign said 5,000 people were estimated to have attended Blaine OysterFest on May 20, which is about one-third to half of the number of people who attend Blaine’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July. Over 12,600 oysters were consumed at the H and G Street plazas, Sovereign said, adding the chamber raised nearly $7,000 for local nonprofits. Net proceeds that Drayton Harbor Oyster Company raised, which were not known by press time, will go toward Drayton Harbor water-quality monitoring. Sovereign said the chamber is planning the next oyster festival for Saturday, October 7.
The festival offered a variety of entertainment, including a street fair, Semiahmoo Resort cooking demonstration, live music, Beach Cat Brewing beer garden and kids food court. The seafood barbecue’s net proceeds went to local nonprofits. Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2’s Picnic in the Park provided kids activities at Blaine Marine Park.
