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Lobster salad and oyster shucking: Get the most out of the Johnshaven Fish Festival with our food lovers guide

The Johnshaven Fish Festival returns next month with delicious seafood to suit all tastes.
The Johnshaven Fish Festival returns next month with delicious seafood to suit all tastes.

It’s been three long years since the Johnshaven Fish Festival was last held, and anticipation for its return next month is sky high.

The past two festivals fell victim to the Covid pandemic, but this year’s event will go ahead on Saturday August 13.

Fun and sunshine is the order of the day. But there’s plenty to enjoy on the food side, too.

The Johnshaven Fish Festival is a great day out for the family.

“This might well be the most seafood we’ve had,” says Karelia Wright, one of the many volunteers that help put the Johnshaven Fish Festival together. Karelia is responsible for bringing the food stalls to Johnshaven and has a ringside seat on preparations.

“Whether it’s fish & chips, oysters, lobster or a seafood paella, you are going to be well catered for,” she says.

Two local businesses will be included in the Johnshaven Fish Festival food line-up, celebrating Johnshaven’s ongoing connection to the fishing industry that dates back to its time as one of the most important landing ports in Scotland.

The Anchor Hotel is a perennial fixture at the festival and will once again be on hand with hot seafood dishes and soups.

Meanwhile, a new name for this year’s event has a familiar face on this corner of the east coast.

Johnshaven seafood royalty

The Lobster Shop, which celebrated its one year anniversary on Hogmany, will take part its first official festival.

However, co-owner Loren McBay, who runs the shop along with brothers Ivar Jr and Jason, is an old hand at the event.

She and her brothers are part of the family-run Murray McBay wholesale shellfish merchants that has operated out of Johnshaven for 75 years.

Loren McBay will sell seafood from The Lobster Shop on the harbour.

The festival, therefore, has deep roots in the McBay family – Loren vividly remembers friends throwing her dad Ivar Sr into the harbour many years ago as part of the fun.

And with the Murray McBay warehouses sitting in the middle of the festival right next to the pier, the family has long sold some sort of seafood to festival crowds.

“My brothers and I have always been at the festival,” says Loren. “As we’re were building up to opening The Lobster Shop, we’ve played a bigger role in it.”

The Johnshaven Fish Festival will be held on Saturday August 13.

It makes perfect sense, then, for the new Lobster Shop to take over food duties. The lobster salads and lobster rolls the family sold at previous festivals will now be available directly from the shop, which sits inside the Murray McBay warehouse.

Plus, as Loren reminds visitors, there are other attractions at the shop.

“There’s places to sit and it’s away from the music,” she explains. “So if anyone’s looking for a quiet seat they can pop round.”

Who else will be at the Johnshaven Fish Festival?

A full list can be found below, but organiser Karelia points out Arbroath Fisheries and its wide range of seafood.

Bannerman Butchers will have burgers on sale while Gourdon’s Quayside fish & chips are on hand for those with traditional seaside tastes.

All kinds of seafood will be on sale at this year’s Johnshaven Fish Festival.

Meanwhile, organisers have booked the Oysterman – a travelling food stall that shucks fresh oysters.

Karelia adds: “It’s fantastic for the village, because there’s always a really nice buzz on the day.”

What food to eat at the Johnshaven Fish Festival

  • Arbroath Fisheries – Fresh and smoked fish, seafood and shellfish. Also fish soup, quiches, cakes and pates
  • The Cake Lady – Homebaking, tablet and preserves
  • Keptie Bakery – Bakery items
  • Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery – Gins and free samples
  • Juliethh Patisserie – Artisan chocolates, Viennoiserie
  • Gourdon Goodies – Handmade fudge and Scottish tablet
  • Bannerman Butcher – Sliced steak (Bervie Baps) and burgers with homemade sauces
  • Quayside Gourdon – Fish & chips
  • Ashers Ice Cream – Ice cream and chilled drinks
  • Cairn o Mohr – Sparkling and still wine, cider and non-alcoholic drinks
  • Seafood Bothy – Takeaway seafood
  • Ann Davidson Butcher – Fresh meat & pies
  • Anchor Hotel – Selection of hot seafood dishes and soups
  • The Lobster Shop – Lobster salad, lobster rolls and other takeaway shellfish dishes
  • The Oysterman – One man stall selling fresh oysters with homemade sauces

What else do you need to know?

The festival is free, and organisers recommend arrival by public transport if possible.

For those arriving by car, Johnshaven is just off the A92. Parking is available just outside of town in a designated car park. Parking costs £5 and a free bus service takes you into the village. The car park is a 5/10 minute walk from the harbour.


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