If the idea of feasting on shellfish in a park next to the ocean appeals to you, you’re not alone. Last year, 2,500 people showed up at the B.C. Shellfish Festival in Comox. That’s double the attendance in 2011. And this year, tickets for the festival’s chefs’ dinner sold out within weeks of going on sale in April.

But fear not—there’s plenty of hard-shelled fun to go around. The annual two-day fest takes place on June 14 and 15. But this year the celebration of the region’s bounty kicks off on June 6, with various culinary activities to get you in the spirit.

Comox is about an hour-and-a-half north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. “The Comox Valley is a food mecca,” says Matthew Wright, the festival’s executive director. “You can come out and meet farmers and have some of the freshest shellfish possible.”

Wright explains that Comox is “the oyster growing capital of Canada”; about 144,000 farmed oysters from Baynes Sound are sent to market every week. He attributes this to the water quality in the area. “Because of the mountains, we get excellent runoff,” he says. “It’s a really pristine growing area.” Clams, scallops, mussels, geoduck, sea cucumber, and sea urchin also thrive in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island.

While the June 14 chefs’ dinner is sold out, everyone is welcome at Comox Marina Park on June 15 for the free celebration. Activities include cooking demonstrations and educational booths on sustainable seafood, with a marine-animal touch tank for kids. Chefs will compete in a chowder cook-off, and there’s also an oyster-shucking competition. The best shucker will represent B.C. at the national championship on Prince Edward Island.

Hotels in the region have put together Slurp & Stay packages for the festival. If you’re looking for something a little different, Island Joy Rides is offering a two-night cycle tour with accommodation that coincides with the festival and includes visits to local markets and farms that highlight seafood. Discover Comox Valley’s website lists this and other accommodation packages (under Deals) and related events taking place between June 6 and 16, such as a winetasting at Coastal Black Estate Winery followed by oysters Rockefeller and clam pizza, and tours of Fanny Bay Oysters’ farm.

For more info on the B.C. Shellfish Festival, see the B.C. Shellfish Festival website.