Residents attend Oyster Eve in Milford ahead of Oyster Festival this weekend
This year, officials are expecting to shuck around 30,000 oysters, all pulled from the Milford waters of Long Island Sound by Briarpatch Shellfish.
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Residents flocked to the annual Oyster Eve in Milford Friday ahead of this weekend's 29th annual Oyster Festival.
At Friday's celebrations, local seafood was on hand and live music.
This year, officials are expecting to shuck around 30,000 oysters, all pulled from the Milford waters of Long Island Sound by Briarpatch Shellfish.
This weekend comes as the state Department of Public Health warned residents of eating raw shellfish after two Connecticut residents died after a vibrio infection. The Bureau of Aquaculture said Friday Connecticut shellfish have never been associated with vibrio.
The shuckers follow strict icing guidelines to keep the oysters cool and bacteria-free, and the Department of Agriculture regularly tests vibrio levels.
“We’re fortunate here with all the testing that’s been done, that it hasn’t been detected. So, we’ve been given the green light as have all the other restaurants in Connecticut and everywhere else that serves oysters," said Jay Pinto, president of the Milford Oyster Festival.
