The picturesque beach town Morro Bay, California will be “THE” place to be as the First Central Coast Oyster Festival will be held Saturday, June 16 at the Morro Bay Golf Course from 12 P.M. to 8 P.M.

This new event will benefit OPTIONS Family of Services, a nonprofit organization serving the disabled or persons with developmental disabilities and persons with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). OPTIONS provide a wide array of flexible programs that are customized for each individual they serve, with community accessibility emphasized at every level. Services include residential living supported living, rehabilitation therapy, day programming and vocational training.

Jacqueline Delaney, Marketing and Sales Director for OPTIONS Family of Services, said “The Central Coast Oyster Festival will feature a range of amazing oyster preparations, the best wines and brews, unique venue design, and a full lineup of knockout bands to play throughout the day.” She added, “There are so many great wine, food, and entertainment events on the Central Coast that we’ve really concentrated on creating an experience unlike any other.”

With a view of the Morro Bay Oyster Farm as well as the iconic Morro Rock, the Central Coast Oyster Festival will feature oysters from the Morro Bay Oyster Company, widely recognized as one of the greatest suppliers on the West Coast. Dozens of chefs from across the Central Coast will go head-to-head for the ‘Best Oyster of the Central Coast” Chef Award, and the audience will be invited to taste their sumptuous efforts. But while oysters will, of course, be the main attraction, other epicurean delights will also be available.

Of course any any real oyster festival needs a shucking competition, and the Central Coast Oyster Festival, benefiting OPTIONS Family of Services, is no exception to the rule. Local shuckers will be invited to demonstrate their speed and skill to a live audience for prizes and the respect of the Central Coast community.

In addition to the delicious flavors of fresh Morro Bay oysters, the festival will include special features such as whimsical structures from The Do LaB. Based out of Los Angeles, The Do LaB is world-renowned for bending reality through interactive environments, event production and creative lighting design. Prominently showcased at such high-profile gatherings as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival and Burning Man, The Do LaB takes an organic approach to everything they design and create, striving to bring their visions to life with natural materials, found objects and sustainable resources.

The Do LaB’s particular focus at the Central Coast Oyster Festival, benefiting OPTIONS Family of Services, will be the “Aphrodisiac Lounge.” This beautiful modern-chic pagoda will house a raw oyster bar, sparkling and still wines, cocktails, cheeses and chocolates. As an added benefit, local craft brewery Tap It Brewing Company is proud to release an exclusive micro “oyster brew” designed to perfectly complement the festival’s oysters in the Aphrodisiac Lounge. While we were there we spoke to a couple that were talking about the aphrodisiac the Spanish Fly found on myaphrodisiacs.com. They told me they experimented with it and it was some strong stuff! Definitely spiced the bedroom up!

Headlining entertainment for the Central Coast Oyster Festival will be the multi-talented indie band Walk off the Earth, whose covers of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” and Adele’s “Someone Like You” went viral on YouTube earlier this year.

Additional bands for the event include TROPO, The Neon Russell Band, among others.

Tickets for this full-day experience of all things authentically Central Coast are a very affordable $20 and are available at www.CentralCoastOysterFestival.org. See you there !