What: A festival dedicated to sucking down as many juicy, slimy, salty critters (aka oysters) as you can, washed down by plenty of Guinness. There’s also the World Oyster Opening Championship and Oyster Pearl beauty pageant.
Where: Pubs and venues in Galway City, Ireland.
When: September 24-27
Why: It began in 1954 as a way of sucking tourists to the town.
Do it because: If you love oysters (and why wouldn’t you? They’re delicious) this is the grandaddy of events.
How much: Formal events from €20. Many pubs give out free oysters – the only cost is a pint or two of Guinness.