Travelling Foodie – 12 Things To Do for BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival 2017 in Comox Valley
June is BC Seafood Month, and what better way to showcase seafood excellence than attending the BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival, Western Canada’s largest seafood festival. With over 100 different seafood species harvested in BC waters, the value of #BCSeafood industry and its importance to the provincial economy, families and coastal communities need to be recognized.
On its 11th year in the Comox Valley, on the east coast of Vancouver Island, the BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival ran from June 9-18, 2017, a good 10 days filled with over 40 culinary events, seafood tours, celebrity chef demos, tasting dinners with wine pairing and more, with a trade show at the BC Seafood Expo.
Did you know? Comox Valley is not a city – it’s a region in Vancouver Island that includes the city of Courtenay, town of Comox, village of Cumberland, and other settlements and communities.
As you know, I love shellfish and seafood. My instagram gallery is flooded with seafood. Among my favourites are lobster, scallops and calamari, and, if you know me, you know I’m a sushi addict.
I was so ecstatic when I got the opportunity to attend the BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival as media among other visiting domestic and international media journalists. I haven’t been to British Columbia for more than 10 years so it was such a great opportunity to explore the state that’s well known for seafood and nature!
All of us stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Comox Valley so we got to bond and end up becoming friends.
When I checked-in, I got a gift bag full of goodies including wine from 40 Knots Winery, chocolate from Hot Chocolates, and smoked oysters from Fanny Bay Oysters!
I was there from June 9-14 with a jam packed itinerary of educational tours, beautiful sights, meet and greets, and, what I do best, eating and drinking. In the three full days plus one night I was there, we did 12 things! Here’s a video recap of what we did, which I’ll be going into detail in this post.
12 Things To Do in Comox Valley During BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival 2017:
- Visiting Media and Chefs Dinner and Meet & Greet at Locals Restaurant
- Big Animal Encounters with Pacific Pro Dive & Marine Adventures
- Fresh Fest at Coastal Black Winery
- Fisherman’s Wharf Vessel Tours
- Salmon Capital Seafood Taste
- BC Salmon Farmers Association Tour
- Chef’s Shellfish Showdown at 40 Knots Winery
- Fanny Bay Oysters Plant Tour
- Manatee Holdings Hatchery Tour
- BC Seafood Expo Trade Show
- BC Seafood Expo: International Buyers & Media Reception
- BC Craft Beer & Exhibitor Reception at Gladstone Brewery