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Richmond Is Your Oyster

Seafood lovers rejoice! The city is thriving this weekend with one of the sea's most scrumptious shellfish … the oyster.

It's fair to say that our beloved Historic Shockoe Bottom has become somewhat of a chameleon. In March, the streets turn green with envy at the Irish way of life and to cope, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a festival of rock music, delicious local food and of course, green beer.

In July, we saw the Bottom "go to the birds" with the return of the Purple Martins. And come November, the Bottom will play host to the long-standing, delicious tradition of the Brunswick Stew Festival .

But as the month of October continues on, and as ghostly ghouls and goblins take over the rest of the city in celebration of All Hallows Eve , the 17th Street Farmers' Market and Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association , will be doing something a little different.

They'll be bedding the Bottom for two days this weekend with oysters.

Besides the usual round of local bands that can be found on stage at the end of the Farmers' Market, restaurants from around the area will be on site offering up various oyster concoctions from raw to cooked, fried to rockefeller and steamed or in shooter form.

And of course, nothing washes down a good oyster better than a glass of ice cold beer.

Usually reserved for produce vendors during regular 17th Street Farmers Market hours, on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, the open-air awning will be also be home to various market growers, bakers, artists, crafters, collectors and much more from which to shop.

The first annual Shockoe on the Half Shell will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at the 17th Street Farmers' Market . Admission is free. For more information, call (804) 646-0477 or visit 17thstreetfarmersmarket.com .

Looking to stay on the Northside this weekend? St. Thomas' Episcopal Church , together with the local non-profit, Connor's Heroes , will be hosting the third annual Oystoberfest.

That's right, "Oys"toberfest. What once started and ended a few years ago as a simple cookout held at the church has become 'Richmond's Biggest Oyster Roast" -- a community-wide event involving shucking oysters in hopes of snuffing out childhood cancer.

"My husband, Steve Goodwin , the true brainchild behind this event, and I started Connor's Heroes about [two] and a half [years] ago, right after our son, Connor, ended treatment for leukemia," said Lisa Goodwin , co-founder of Connor's Heroes, of last year's event.

Oyster concoctions will range from raw to fried as well as paired with vodka into shooters. But for those of you who would prefer to pass on this little crustacean delicacy, barbecue, fries, ice cream and other "festival" food will also be available for purchase.

Entertainment will take the form of a variety of musical acts between the Irish-American pub music of Uisce Beatha , electric blues/rockers The Silverbacks , the Bart Chucker Band , the soulful styling of Soul Providers as well as Silly Bus in the all-popular Kids' Zone.

All proceeds from the festival will go to benefit Connor's Heroes at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church.

The third annual Oystoberfest will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church , located in Historic Ginter Park . Admission is free. for more information, call (804) 221-8991 or visit oystoberfest.com .