Whether it's secret pick-up windows for chowder at the Pike Place, street galas celebrating seafood or those in honor of the famed Dungeness crab, seafood in Washington is a tasty affair. If you dig fishy food, you should check out this massive, two-day mussel festival. The Penn Cove Musselfest is a delicious Northwest tradition that is hosted by Coupeville, a quaint seaside town on Whidbey Island. This year's dates are on March 7 and 8. The annual fiesta celebrates the town's "world-famous," nutrient-rich mussels that are impossibly juicy. You can score tickets for only $10 with which you can enter a chowder tasting competition. This includes four tasting tokens with which you can sample the flavorful bowls from local vendors and vote for the tastiest. Be warned, there'll also be massive pots of steaming hot mussel paella that you won't be able to step away from! You can even sign up for the popular mussel eating contest, snap pics with mermaids or get your face painted. Popular chefs from the Pacific Northwest will also have cooking demos so you can sample some of their fare for free and maybe sweet-talk them into sharing the recipes too. View this post on Instagram 去年は行くのが遅すぎて食べ損ねたパエリア。今年は絶対食べたいと執念の思いで開店と同時に行ったはずなのに、#penncovemusselfest 初日にムール貝以外のシーフードが終わっちゃったっつーじゃん。フェスティバル二日間あるんだから分けといてくれよーって言うね。。 でも美味しかったからまいいか！ A post shared by @ emeradiano on Mar 4, 2018 at 6:22pm PST According to the event's website vendors like Currents Bistro, Sunshine Drip, Toby's Tavern, and the Oystercatcher will be participating. Those mussels will be best complemented by tons of booze too. There'll be local wines and craft beers so you can grab some drinks and head to the picturesque waterfront beer gardens. Live music from bands like Nathaniel Talbot Trio, Cranberry Bog, Bahia, Jess, and Original Jim will allow you to enjoy that island life to the fullest. View this post on Instagram Mussel martini salad! Delicious! A post shared by Lizamy (@lizteaches) on Mar 3, 2018 at 5:37pm PST Once you've sampled enough of the tasty shellfish, you and your friends can even go on a $10 boat tour that'll take you to Penn Cove Shellfish, the largest and oldest mussel farm in the U.S. You can enjoy the scenery plus learn more about your fave food. Either way, we're starting to like the sound of how the spring season is starting to look! View this post on Instagram Proof that I was always meant to be a mermaid 🧜🏼♀️ A post shared by Emily Butz (@etcb13) on Mar 3, 2019 at 6:57pm PST Penn Cove Mussel Festival 2020 Price: Free entry; $10 for tasting tickets When: March 7 and 8, 2020 Address: Coupeville Recreation Hall, 901 NW. Alexander Street, Coupeville, WA Why You Need To Go: You can dig into plenty of tasty dishes made with "world-famous" mussels at one spot. Website
