After a relaxing afternoon, Katri’s friend Corinne Virapin noted, “The location is perfect and being able to walk along the marina and try different kinds of seafood while listening to live music is amazing”.

The girls were part of a group all of whom had travelled from as far away as Estonia, Italy, Croatia, and Reunion Island to stay in Far North Queensland.

Overseas visitors join the festivities

They weren’t the only overseas travellers to enjoy the festival, with many tourists having flown thousands of kilometres from Taiwan, New Zealand and China.

Under the big tent, organisers worked hard to create a communal atmosphere. “There’s this long dining table which means that strangers sit together and start chatting. There is very much a sense of community,” said Katri.

For all the oysters and prawns consumed, local businesses and staff were the stars of the afternoon.

Food from the finest restaurants

Food was painstakingly prepared by some of Port Douglas’s best restaurants, including Salsa Bar & Grill, Hemingway’s Brewery, and Santiego.

“From the first bowl of prawns we sold at midday, to the closing moments at 7 pm we had a long queue at our Portside Galley trailer,” said Tricia Griffin, Santiago Seafoods. Over the seven hours, they sold 250 kilos of produce, that’s around 5,000 prawns."

Hemingway’s Brewery reported similar sales, 1800 oysters in just one day!

While serving customers from her trailer, Tricia would steal a moment or two to watch people dancing, families laughing in the sun and children tasting their first prawns.

For months staff and businesses had worked tirelessly, for “countless hours,” in preparation for the day, “and it was worth every moment. We’re committed to making this an annual event as a way of giving back to the community,” said Tricia.

Here is to a sea of food and people in 2023.