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Join us for the 67th Annual Urbanna Oyster Festival!
November 1-2, 2024
Join us for the 67th Annual Urbanna Oyster Festival!
November 1-2, 2024

Seven Middlesex girls vie to reign as queen of 2024 Urbanna Oyster festival

Eight Middlesex girls seek little miss spat title

The 2024 Urbanna Oyster Festival queen and little miss spat contestants are busy working on their community service projects this summer. Each queen contestant must volunteer a minimum of 25 hours benefiting Middlesex County.

The 67th Urbanna Oyster Festival is set for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2.
Keep a lookout for more information in the Southside Sentinel and on social media about the contestants’ individual projects and ways to support them. A story on each queen’s community service project will be featured in the Sentinel.

The 2024 Urbanna Oyster Festival queen crowning ceremony is set for 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at the Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department station (the Urbanna firehouse).

For information, call the Urbanna Oyster Festival office at 804-758-2122 or Christy Hogge at 804-832-0036.This year there are seven queen contestants, each of whom has at least one little miss spat contestant. (A spat is a baby oyster.)

As the Oyster Festival has evolved over the years, so has the selection of the queen and little miss spat. What was once a beauty pageant is now a scholarship-based competition for the queens. The queen contestants must be high school seniors and residents of Middlesex County. Each queen contestant mentors a first grade contestant as her little miss spat.

The queen and little miss spat competition starts in the spring and extends until the crowning at the Oyster Festival on Nov. 1.

You may follow the links below to read introductory articles written by the queen contestants.

The 2024 queen contestants and their little miss spat contestants include, in alphabetical order: 

  • oysterfestival@va.metrocast.net
  • 390 Virginia Street, Suite C, Urbanna, VA 23175
  • Drawer C, Urbanna, VA 23175
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For more information on accommodations, things to do and other events in the area, see:

Urbanna.com

VirginiasRiverRealm.com

Explore Middlesex App

Oyster Festival Parade Entry Form

By filling out the form below you are expressing interest in participating in the Urbanna Oyster Festival Parade on the Saturday of Oyster Festival at 2:00PM. Upon approval, you will receive a detailed parade information packet in October. If you have any questions, please call the Festival office at 804-758-2122. 

NO objects are to be thrown from any parade vehicle, floats or marchers.  NO stopping along parade route.  Air cannons, loud explosive devices and other objects are prohibited.  Current political campaign candidates are NOT permitted in the parade or along the parade route, nor do we allow any political advertisements or promotional materials in the parade.  Please Keep in Mind this is a Family-oriented event and parade.   We are a Virginia Green Festival.

Sponsor Interest Form

As we look forward to our 67th anniversary, November 1 & 2, 2024, we turn to you, our community partners, to help us put on one of the best Oyster Festivals yet. Year after year we are humbled by the commitment of our volunteers, our vendors, our advocates, and you, our sponsors. Your love for this little town, and this big Festival, make our jobs well worth it. To see our town full of excitement and pride each November brings us joy and gives us motivation to keep working toward the next one. Your monetary support allows us to do things like bring in well-known or locally-grown bands, look out for the wellbeing and safety of our attendees, and put on events like the Antique Car Show and Saturday’s Oyster Festival Parade. It ensures our local schools and visitors alike are exposed to the importance of oysters and water-restoration to the local economy. It means high school seniors have financial support in pursuing higher education.

From the mission of the Urbanna Oyster Festival Foundation, partnering with us means you are aligned with:

• Providing cultural, educational and recreational events for the enjoyment of the community

• Provide leadership, education and training for festivals, event leaders and volunteers

• Promote an appreciation of the history, maritime tradition, and the seafood industry

• Provide a venue for fundraising for civic and non-profit organizations

• Encourage the participation of artists, writers, and craftsmen in festivals and other events

• Encourage involvement of educational organizations and other non-profit groups

• Enhance the quality of life of the local economy and promote visitation and economic development

We appreciate your consideration in partnering with the Urbanna Oyster Festival for our 67th anniversary. To ensure you get the most out of your sponsorship we would like to secure your placement by August 31, 2024.

View & Download the Sponsorship Package

Volunteer Interest Form

The Urbanna Oyster Festival would be nothing without our volunteers and festival support, and we need your help this year more than ever! We invite you to become a festival at the Urbanna Oyster Festival!