At the Galway Oyster Festival, participants compete in the National Oyster Opening Championship, hoping to represent Ireland in the International Oyster Opening Championship the following day. 

Oyster shucking is a skill that takes lots of repeated effort, and the occasional nick or slice, to master. Speed, precision, and safety (i.e., thick gloves) all come in to play to earn the title of shucking champion.

The family-friendly festival is a wonderful time to explore Galway. Parades, pub crawls, culinary exhibitions and live music line the streets. This year's festival takes place from September 25-28 in Galway, Ireland.