Chincoteague Seafood Festival

The 57^th Annual Chincoteague Seafood Festival will be better than ever! We are excited to announce some great new additions for the 2027 event.

The morning will kick-off with a DJ starting at 9:30 am. This musical entertainment from the band stage will buildup to the countdown for the official gate opening at 10am, and play until noon.

At noon, the festival will be in full sway with (drum roll please. . . .)
The Rhythm Section! With a huge variety of your favorite hits, the Rhythm Section is made of a talented musicians that are passionate about their performance. This amazing band is sure to keep you dancing and having fun all day long with an unforgettable performance.  

If that isn’t enough exciting news, here is a big one. We are introducing children’s pricing! Now, for children ages 6-12, tickets will be available for only $30! This family friendly pricing also comes with fun new activities. The Chincoteague Pony Drill Team will provide a family fun zone including facepainting, kid crafts, and a chance to meet Chincoteague Ponies.

The Chincoteague Seafood Festival is held the first Saturday in May to celebrate the seafood industry on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. This full day experience is a chance to gather with friends and family, enjoy all-you-can-eat seafood favorites, dance to live music, and enjoy the Chincoteague Island spirit.

All-You-Can-Eat Fare:
Indulge on little neck clams, a long-time festival staple, along with raw oysters and clams, clam fritters, clam strips, single fried oysters, fried fish, crab cheddar jalapeno poppers, steamed shrimp, clam chowder, salad bar, grilled chicken, sweet potato fries, boardwalk fries, hushpuppies, and cornbread.  Non-alcoholic beverages are included in the ticket price with beer available for purchase.

Shopping:
Browse the Arts & Crafts area where artists and artisans offer a wide variety of handmade creations.
Get your Festival Merchandise to help you mark the occasion and remember the amazing time you had at the festival. T-shirts (including youth sizes), hats, souvenir food trays, and mugs will be available for purchase.

Extravaganza of Prizes:
Try your luck and enter to win a basket of prizes including gift certificates to local shops, restaurants, and activities, t-shirts, tickets, trays, hotel stays, and so much more. The value of this prize is typically over $4,000!

Tickets are limited, so order early!!! This is a sell out event!

Tickets are $65 per adult and $30 for children 6-12 years old. (Children under 5 are FREE)

TO PURCHASE TICKETS & EARLY ACCESS PASSES:
Call - 757-336-6161
Stop by - 6733 Maddox Blvd. (Located In the circle)
Purchase Online (fees apply)

REFUND POLICY 

Event is held rain or shine. Every attempt will be made to have the festival on the date and time advertised, however circumstances beyond the Chamber’s control may require rescheduling or delay. All sales are final in case of ticketholder cancellation or organizer postponement. If the event is cancelled by the organizer or due to circumstances beyond our control, tickets may be transferred to a future festival or refunded at 80% within 60 days of cancellation. After that time, only ticket transfers to future festivals will be honored. 

Tickets are limited, so order early!!! This is a sell out event!

SPONSORSHIPS & VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES

Support the Chamber through Sponsorship - Download the Form Here

Reserve your Vendor/Hospitality Space - Download the Form Here

FESTIVAL TIMELINE
10:00 am - Gates open          NO EARLY ENTRY FOR SETUP Items set up prior to 10am will be removed

11:00 am - Appetizer tents begin serving       Clam Chowder, Salad Bar, Boardwalk and Sweet Potato Fries, Hushpuppies, Cornbread, Grilled Chicken, Crab Jalapeno Cheddar Poppers
12:00 pm – Seafood tents begins serving      Raw Oysters & Clams, “Little Neck” Steamed Clams, Single Fried Oysters, Fried Fish, Steamed Shrimp, Clam Fritters, and back again this year - Clam Strips! 
                     Live music begins
4:00 pm –   Festival ends
6:00 pm –   Festival Grounds clear of all attendees and volunteers - Due to insurance liability purposes

  

RULES & REGULATIONS

Wear Your Wristband
o   All attendees must have a festival wristband prior to entrance to festival grounds.
o   E-tickets must be scanned either by scanners at the entrance of Toms Cove Park or at the Will Call tent to acquire festival wristband.

Entering & Exiting
o   Attendees can come and go to the festival grounds from 10am – noon.
o   After Noon you will not be permitted to re-enter the festival grounds, wristbands will be cut as you exit.

Bring Photo ID
o   All attendees age 21 and over MUST provide a photo ID at the beer tent to purchase beer. No exceptions!

Do Not Remove Food from the Festival!
o   Eat all you want, but do not remove food from the festival grounds.
o   All coolers and bags are subject to search by festival staff and volunteers.

Prohibited on the Festival Grounds
o   Pets
o   Vehicles of ANY kind – including golf cart, one wheels, scooters, and bicycles
o   Fire pits/rings

UPON PURCHASE OF TICKET(S), YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

We thank you for cooperation in making this a wonderful festival! 

HELPFUL HINTS:  Make Your Festival Experience More Enjoyable

Getting to the Festival

Location: Tom's Cove Park, 8128 Beebe Road, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336.

Parking is very limited and is available on a first come/first serve basis.

o   Vehicles will not be admitted to the campground until 8:00a.m.
o   Do not park anywhere unless instructed by a parking volunteer.
o   Handicap parking and courtesy shuttle are available at the festival grounds.

FREE Pony Express Trolley provided by the Chamber and the Town of Chincoteague from 8AM to 5PM!  

o   The trolley will run on festival day at approximate 30 minute intervals.
o   There will be a direct route between Chincoteague Combined School, 4586 Main Street, and the festival. Parking at the school and taking the trolley is encouraged!  
o   Please avoid parking at Veterans Memorial Park and taking the trolley. This is not a direct route and will take you longer to get to the festival than parking  at the Chincoteague Combined School. 
o   The trolley is handicap accessible. 
o   After 5pm the charge is $0.50/person and pick up will be at the trolley hut at the entrance of Tom's Cove Park.
o  Detailed Trolley Information

Walking or biking is also encouraged!

What should I bring?

o   Bring Cash - Beer tent, Extravaganza, and desserts only accept cash
o   Bring Your Own Tables and Chairs - There are a limited number of picnic tables available.  You may wish to bring your own folding tables, chairs, blankets, etc.

How does the “All You Can Eat” work?

o   Food Booths - Each booth is marked with a banner noting which item it will serve.
o   Expect lines – Lines begin to form prior to service start. Please be patient as we prepare all the food onsite as fast as possible.
o   Food Availability – Despite our best efforts to provide enough of each food item, we cannot guarantee that each item will be available until 4pm.
o   Two Serving Per trip, Per Person - to alleviate wait times, and give everyone an opportunity to get some of each item.
o   Additional Servings - You may go back to each booth as many times as you want!

Are there beverages?

o   Water, soda, and coffee are included in the ticket price
o   Beer will be sold separately with photo ID, cash only

Is there Merchandise for sale?

o   Souvenir Trays will be on sale at the Merchandise and Beer tents. These are great to assist you in carrying your food. 
o   Souvenir Mugs will be sold at the Beer tent. 
o   Souvenir Apparel (short-sleeved t-shirts and hats) will be sold at the Merchandise tent.  
o   Merchandise may be available one week prior to festival in the Chamber Office. 
o   Merchandise items sell out quickly.  We recommend making your purchases early.
o   We accept all major credit cards in the office and on festival day for merchandise.

What Else Should I Know?

o   Help us recycle at the Festival! Shell recycling benefits The Nature Conservancy and can recycling benefits Davy's TherAppy Farm
o   Extravaganza of Prizes Raffle tickets will be available to festival ticket holders on festival day.  The winner is announced at 4pm at the band stand and will receive thousands of dollars in merchandise and certificates. You do not need to be present to win. Cash only.

ACCESSIBILITY

While all are welcome to attend, please note that the festival grounds cover approx. 90,000 sq. feet to accommodate festival tents and almost 3,000 attendees. The festival is held at a campground, so the ground has grassy areas with some tree roots, and gravel roads. Food tents are primarily located on the perimeter of the festival grounds and lines will be long, especially at the beginning of the day. Handicap parking is available on a first come, first serve basis and a courtesy shuttle is available to help transport individuals from handicap parking to the festival grounds.

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