Apalachicola Oyster Cook-Off

The 2026 Apalachicola Oyster Cook-off is the 16th annual event and the primary fundraiser for the Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department.  The cook-off attracts area chefs and homegrown locals competing with their prized oyster-based recipes.  If you love to prepare oysters, we’d love to have you show off your favorite dish! Bring on your oyster stew, oysters Rockefeller, oyster casserole, baked oysters, margarita oysters, oyster shooters, the possibilities are endless!

This is the 16th annual Oyster Cook-off, held on the Saturday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day in downtown Historic Apalachicola at the lovely Riverfront Park.  The event is based at the Apalachicola Center for History, Culture and Arts and the Riverfront Park at 86 Water Street.  Saturday’s festivities kick off at 8am with a 5K run through historic Apalach, then start up again from 12:00pm-5:00pm with judging of contestants’ oyster dishes, children’s activities, fire fighter demonstrations and live blues music by the John Sutton Band.  Several types of seafood will be offered for sale such as fried, baked, and raw oysters, oyster stew, fresh shrimp and more!

“I invite everyone to enter their favorite oyster recipe or just come to enjoy some fresh Apalachicola Bay seafood, live music and small town camaraderie.” says event organizer Marisa Getter.

The Apalachicola Oyster Cook-off was started in 2010 by a group of concerned citizens wanting to raise money for the Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department.  They saw the department’s need for additional funds to help purchase a new fire truck, improved firefighting equipment and additional training for its volunteers.  The fundraising board has assisted the department in all of those endeavors, which have led to the Department improving their insurance “ISO” score to the best rating yet.  In 2025, we have  sponsored training and equipment for FOUR of our volunteer fire fighters, thanks to generous donations from our local sponsors and visitors to the Oyster Cookoff!

More information about the Apalachicola Oyster Cook-off is available online at www.oystercookoff.com or on Facebook at Apalachicola Oyster Cook-Off.