Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner For the 16th Annual PEI International Shellfish Festival!

The organizers of the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival, as part of the 2011 Fall Flavours Festival, announced that Chef Curtis Stone will be this year’s celebrity chef. This year’s celebration of P.E.I. Shellfish will take place from September 15-18, 2011 on the Historic Charlottetown Waterfront.

“As a Prince Edward Island Fall Flavours Signature Event, the Shellfish Festival is upping the ante with major investments in programming, marketing and entertainment,” says Liam Dolan, Festival Chair. “This year, the festival will be extended by a day opening on Thursday, September 15 with a sit down dinner in the tent hosted by Curtis Stone and The Culinary Institute of Canada. Stone will also be offering culinary demos in the tent on September 16 using PEI shellfish and agricultural products. With a celebrity of Stone’s calibre, the festival will create increased tourism demand and ticket sales are expected to soar.”

A household name in Australia, Stone is a globally successful author, presenter, and face of one of America’s most popular reality/cooking shows, Take Home Chef. After appearing as a contestant on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice, Stone quickly widened his audience, becoming an overnight phenomenon in North America.

Stone has been a featured chef on the popular reality show, The Biggest Loser, and has made appearances on Oprah and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Recently, People Magazine voted him as one of the sexiest men alive.

The Government of Canada through ACOA has invested $240,000 for the PEI International Shellfish Festival in 2011 and 2012.
“Our Government is pleased to support festivals and events, like the PEI International Shellfish Festival,” said the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie. “This festival will not only promote our Island as a first-class tourist destination but also showcase our famous seafood, entertainment and hospitality.”

New programming for this year’s PEI Shellfish Festival will play a significant role in presenting the Island’s world-class and indigenous shellfish as staples to the plate in the home kitchen and an identity in the culinary tourism marketplace.

The International Shellfish Festival is supported by the Prince Edward Island government, through the Departments of Tourism and Culture, Innovation and Advanced Learning, Agriculture and Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development.

“The Prince Edward Island government is proud to support events such as the International Shellfish Festival that contribute to our economy by attracting visitors to our Island and creating opportunities for our tourism operators,” said Tourism and Culture Minister Robert Vessey. “Our Island shellfish industry benefits from the exposure generated by the International Shellfish Festival and the attendance of Chef Curtis Stone. Prince Edward Island is well-known for its high-quality seafood and this event helps solidify that reputation.”
There are several ways to meet Chef Curtis Stone, starting with the all NEW Shellfish Feast & Frolic Dinner on Thursday, September 15. Ticket holders will enjoy a four-course meal catered by the Culinary Institute of Canada and the opportunity to meet Chef Curtis Stone. The evening will also feature a culinary demo with Stone featuring PEI shellfish and agriculture products. The evening will conclude with a great big kitchen party in the tent.
On Friday, there will be two Curtis Stone demo sessions with Stone. Each session will require a separate ticket and will include general admission to a culinary demo with Stone and a spotlight conversation. VIP tickets will be available to each demo session and will include: seating in front of the stage and a meet and greet. Demo sessions will take place Friday, September 16 from 9:00am – 11:00am and 12:00-2:00pm.
This year there are three different ticket offerings for the festival include:
 Thursday, September 15 – 6:00pm – 10:00pm: Shellfish Feast and Frolic with Curtis Stone: $139.00 plus taxes (advance sales only).
 Friday, September 16 – 9:00am-11:00am & 12:00-2:00pm: Curtis Stone Culinary Demo: VIP $55.00 (advance sales only) & General Admission $35.00 (in advance) and $45.00 (at the door).
 Daily Admission to the Festival, September 15-18 (2:00-11:00pm) $12.00 (in advance) and $15 (at the door).
Tickets are available online at peishellfish.com starting in early July. Stay tuned for further festival details by liking our page on facebook or following us on twitter.
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Backgrounder:
PEI Shellfish Galore! (And much, much more!)

The PEI Shellfish Festival has enjoyed 15 years of success “under the tent” and has been a key contributor to the province’s culinary popularity. In 1996, a one-day shellfish-centric event was held in Charlottetown to celebrate PEI’s shellfish industry. That event has evolved into what is now known as the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival, a four-day festival packed with culinary demos, celebrity chefs, exciting (and delicious) chowder, and oyster shucking competitions.
The PEI International Shellfish Festival drives off-island visitation from Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Western Canada, New England, and the Mid-Atlantic. The festival continues to contribute to the goal of heightening PEI’s reputation for superior quality shellfish status.
Now aPrince Edward Island Fall Flavours Signature Event, the 16th Annual PEI International Shellfish Festival returns this year to the Historic Charlottetown Waterfront September 15-18, 2011. It’s shaping up to be the biggest and best one yet! Thousands of people from around the region and the world are drawn to this vibrant celebration of PEI shellfish.
The Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival is managed by Versatile Management Group.
Contact:

Tracy Stretch
P: 1-902-370-3397
E: tstretch@versatilegroup.ca
W: http://www.peishellfish.com
Mary Moszynski
PEI Dept. Tourism and Culture
902-368-5535

Katie MacNevin
ACOA PEI & Tourism
902-626-2878