How Rockport–Fulton’s Oysterfest went from a small, homespun fundraiser to a Gulf Coast staple.
Oysterfest began in 1979 as a community fundraiser created by Leslie “Googles” Cole and the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department (FVFD). Cole, who organized local firefighting efforts for decades, helped launch the festival to buy equipment and fund training—an origin story that still defines the event’s mission. (Caller) Held each March on the waterfront at Fulton Beach Park, the festival quickly grew from a town celebration into a regional draw, with proceeds continuing to underwrite the volunteer department’s operations. (RockportFulton)
As attendance climbed, the festival layered on traditions that regulars know by heart: a lively carnival midway, vendor booths, live music, and friendly competitions that salute the star of the show—the local oyster. The oyster-eating contest became a signature spectacle, while the Saturday parade along Fulton Beach Road turned into a community showcase before ending at the festival grounds. (fultonoysterfest.org) By 2011, Oysterfest drew more than 36,000 visitors over four days, a milestone that underscored both the event’s popularity and its fundraising power for FVFD. (fultonoysterfest.org)
The festival has never been just about revelry; it also invests back into local youth and civic pride. In 2008, organizers added the Miss Oysterfest Scholarship Pageant, awarding scholarships and expanding the festival’s reach among families across Texas. The pageant, with multiple age divisions, remains a fixture of the week’s activities. (Miss Oyster Fest)
Oysterfest’s resilience became especially visible after Hurricane Harvey struck the Rockport–Fulton area in August 2017. With homes and businesses damaged and the tax base severely hit, large community events like Oysterfest helped channel visitors, dollars, and optimism back into the local economy—while continuing to fund the volunteer fire service that had answered hundreds of calls during and after the storm. (Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce) When the festival returned, it symbolized both continuity and recovery: the same shucking lines, the same parade route, and the same commitment to supporting first responders. (KIII TV)
Today, Oysterfest typically lands the first full weekend of March and is approaching the half-century mark. Recent editions have featured the familiar mix of seafood, music, rides, and artisan markets—plus the annual parade and scholarship pageant—while gate totals in many years hover in the tens of thousands and oyster counts can reach the tens of thousands shucked. Through it all, FVFD remains the organizing backbone, ensuring that every mug sold and every oyster slurped helps pay for the gear, training, and maintenance that keep local firefighters ready. In that sense, Oysterfest is more than a party; it’s a community engine that celebrates coastal heritage while funding the people who protect it. (fultonoysterfest.org)
From a 1979 fundraiser to a marquee Gulf Coast festival, Oysterfest has stayed true to its roots: celebrate the bay, support the volunteers, and invite everyone to share in Rockport–Fulton’s oyster-rich culture each spring. (hmdb.org)