Press release
For immediate release

July 13, 2025

Follow in the footsteps of Coast at Whitstable Oyster Festival

You’ve seen it on television - now come and try building a part of Whitstable’s heritage yourself. Tuesday’s opening episode of Coast on BBC 2 included footage of grotter-building shot during last year’s Oyster Festival and organisers hope it will spark an extra interest in the tradition this year.

Presenter Neil Oliver created his own grotter, which traditionally was a hollow mound of sand or earth, decorated with oyster shells. They were built by children, particularly in Whitstable, as a lighted shrine to celebrate St James’ Day and to try and get some financial reward as the youngsters would beg for a penny for the grotter.

Today’s grotters are built purely for fun and lit up at dusk falls, creating a beautiful twinkling landmark on the beach.

Festival co-ordinator Mair Stratton said: “The grotter tradition continued in some areas until 1967 when it was stamped out as a nuisance. “But to stop it becoming just a memory, Whitstable has revived the art of grotter-building and one day of the festival is dedicated to creating a landscape of grotters.

“This simple activity connects children directly with the origins of the town and has become a popular and very enjoyable mainstay of the festival.”

This year’s grotter event will take part on Thursday, July 23 as part of the week-long celebrations, which start on Saturday, July 18. Thursday also includes the traditional blessing of the waters service, which starts at 6.45pm and commemorates St James, the patron saint of oystermen.

Other old favourites are included in the programme, including the Landing of the Catch at Long Beach on Saturday, July 18 at 11.30am, and the parade through the town. Sunday, July 19 is Sea Sunday with plenty of fun in the harbour and the mud tug at Beach Walk at 4pm.

The festival also features art, music, walks, talks and plenty of free family fun spread over the whole week.

Mair added: “We know times are tough for families at the moment so we’ve made sure there are plenty of free activities right here on their doorstep.

“There’s no need to go away for the holidays as Whitstable can offer exotic food at the EPICentre food fair, all the beer you need at our own beer festival at Whitstable Brewery Bar and even belly dancing!

“We’ve got music from all over the world, including a steel band and Whitstable’s own Samba group, and more events than ever before. All we need now is the sunshine to make it the best festival ever.”

For full details of the programme and the latest updates, visit

http://www.whitstableoysterfestival.com, follow @Oysterfest09 on Twitter or join the Whitstable Oyster Festival 2009 group on Facebook.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Coast is screened on Tuesday, July 14 at 8pm on BBC 2.

For more information, please contact festival co-ordinator Mair Stratton on 07712 529882 or email [email protected]

Alternatively, feel free to contact Liz Crudgington, festival PR, on 07766 735940 or email [email protected]

Full details of the programme are available at www.whitstableoysterfestival.com

You are welcome to send a reporter and/or photographer to any of the festival events.