Chincoteague Seafood Festival this Saturday: Limited Tickets Remain

The 55th Annual Chincoteague Seafood Festival will take place this Saturday, May 3, at Tom’s Cove Park, located at 8128 Beebe Road on Chincoteague Island. The festival will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., offering a full day of local seafood, live entertainment, shopping, and festivities. A select number of tickets remain available for purchase.

Celebrating the rich seafood heritage of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the festival will showcase a wide variety of fresh, local offerings prepared by renowned local restaurants, seasoned festival cooks, and volunteers. Attendees can enjoy longtime favorites such as little neck clams, raw oysters and clams, single fried oysters, steamed shrimp, fried fish, clam fritters, and crab cheddar jalapeno poppers, alongside clam chowder, a salad bar, sweet potato fries, Boardwalk fries, hushpuppies, grilled chicken, and cornbread. Non-alcoholic beverages are included in the ticket price, and beer will be available for purchase.

New for 2025, Island Boy Music—longtime entertainers at the Chincoteague Oyster Festival—will provide live music throughout the afternoon for visitors’ listening and dancing enjoyment.

In addition to the food and music, festivalgoers can explore the Arts and Crafts Corral, featuring handmade creations from local artisans, and enter the Extravaganza Raffle for a chance to win tickets, lodging, gift certificates, and more for the 2026 festival. Festival merchandise including t-shirts, hats, souvenir food trays, and glass beer mugs will also be available for purchase.

Gates open at 10:00 a.m., with appetizer tents beginning service at 11:00 a.m. and the main seafood tents opening at 12:00 noon. The festival concludes at 4:00 p.m., with attendees required to exit the grounds by 6:00 p.m. due to insurance requirements.

Tickets are $65 per person, with children under 5 admitted free. A limited number of tickets remain and can be purchased online, by calling 757-336-6161, or in person at the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce Office at 6733 Maddox Boulevard. The event is rain or shine, and all ticket sales are final.