Sustainable Seafood Is ‘Off the Hook' at This Tasty Fest

Awww shucks.

So you like cuisine competitions, you say?

The sort of thrilling showdowns that begin and end with people enjoying great eats? And you want to savor them near the surf, because stuff that happens near the surf is probably like 20% more fun than things that aren't near the surf, all told?

Then ring your bestie, your ultimate pearl of a pal, for the annual Oyster Shucking Competition at the Off the Hook Seafood Festival.

Of course, this bivalve-based contest, which really is about speed, finesse, and keeping a sense of humor in the face of a shell that just won't pop, is just one aspect of this now-established event, which is marking its half-decade anniversary in 2019.

The Sept. 14 happening, which is timed so guests can savor late afternoon and the Golden Hour on Santa Monica Pier, is all about spreading the important message of sustainability in seafood.

That means there's a lounge devoted to sustainability (it's VIP, oh yes), and tunes to slurp by (because if you're oystering, you're slurping), and an artisan craft market, too.

And while Golden Hour is golden, and the pier a salty-air'd celebrity of spectacular proportions, and oysters are delectable, the most important part of the three-hour to-do is this: It helps Heal the Bay.

That's reason enough for you and your bivalve-lovin' bud to stop by.

Tickets start at $65.

Raise your fin if you believe in sustainability in seafood, in great meals, in socializing while on ocean-close landmarks, and in helping a H2O-riffic org like Heal the Bay.

All fins up? Good. Now swim here and all shell be revealed.