Date issued: 26 October 2020
With Covid restrictions continuing to shape major events in the town’s civic calendar, plans for this year’s Oyster Feast have been put on hold and instead it is being marked with a virtual celebration of the event’s history.
This is the first time (other than in wartime) that the event has had to be postponed in the Oyster Feast’s 175-year history and the first time that the details of the famous event, in its traditional Moot Hall setting, will be available online.
A variety of online resources are available to view, including a video statement by the Mayor of Colchester, Cllr Robert Davidson, alongside a photograph of him being presented with a Native Oyster from Colchester Oyster Fishery, by the Town Serjeant. These can be seen at www.colchester.gov.uk/oyster-feast
Also included on the dedicated webpage is a history of the Oyster Feast, by distinguished local author and academic Andrew Phillips; photographs and menus from past Oyster Feasts, and facts about the world-famous Colchester Native Oysters, which were venerated by the Romans 2,000 years ago.
Mayor Robert Davidson said: “While we must reluctantly forego the traditional pageantry of the Oyster Feast for something less sociable this year, I am delighted that we can still mark the occasion and celebrate the borough’s rich history and heritage through the marvels of modern technology.
“I very much hope the public, be they residents or living further afield, will find the time to visit our special Oyster Feast webpage.”
For more information on civic events in the Mayor’s calendar, visit: www.colchester.gov.uk/mayor
Page last reviewed: 26 October 2020