Get Out Your Clamforks . . . The Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival is Here!

The 64th Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival
Pismo Beach, CA
Reserve your Valentina villa today!

As any Pismo Beach resident or long-time visitor could tell you, Pismo was always known for its outrageous clams. Just ask Bugs Bunny. So like any quaint beach town, we need to celebrate that which defines the community. The Pismo Beach Clam Festival is celebrating its 64th year of good times and good food. This fun-filled celebration is from October 15th-17th, and will feature a live parade, beer garden, clam chowder cook-off, wine tasting, surf contest, sandcastle contest, food, music and much, much more.

"[Guests] can’t help but be lured by the new tasting attractions," says the New Times of SLO. Festivities include "a champagne and caviar tasting, a clam chowder cook-off featuring 10 Pismo Beach restaurants with professional judges and a people’s choice award, a beer garden on the beach, and a wine walk through many participating Pismo Beach businesses.


"Each event will require a ticket,  . . . but you can save quite a bit of money buying the VIP weekend ticket for $60, which includes the wine walk and commemorative wineglass, beer garden, clam chowder cook-off, champagne and caviar, VIP seating for movies and bandstand, a T-shirt, and a badge.

"On Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a beer garden will be featuring four beers on tap: Coors Light, Sierra Nevada, Negra Modelo, and Pacifico, which sponsored the beer garden. They’ll be serving fresh pretzels and feature a VW car display; tickets cost $25 for one day only. 

And you can't miss the Clam Chowder cook-off on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with features 10 restaurants: Cracked Crab, Me & Z’s, Penny’s All American Café, Rosa’s Ristorante, Splash Café, Steamer’s Pismo Beach, and Ventana Grill, among others. The ticket price is only $6 to taste all 10 chowders and vote for the people’s favorite.

On Sunday, the beer garden re-opens, and your VIP badge gets you in once more. The badge also gets you into the champagne and caviar tasting. This event, sponsored by Gather Wine Bar owner Kari Ziegler, offers Central Coast bubblies from Arroyo Robles and Laetitia. The sparkling wines, including a non-alcoholic version, and “reverse mimosas” made of sparkling blood orange juice and Pinot Blanc, will be paired with an array of seafood on the raw bar. It will include caviar, oysters, ceviche, sushi, and cooked dishes like steamed clams, plus much more. The individual ticket price is $35. As you can see, the Pismo Beach Clam Festival is a much better value when you buy the weekend VIP badge. Bring a good appetite.

Adapted from http://www.newtimesslo.com/cuisine/

And while you're enjoying this wonderful celebration, be sure to stay at Valentina Inn & Villas in Pismo Beach, CA. Located just 2 blocks from the beach, you are surrounded by all the great festivities and attractions, as well as spectacular ocean views. To reserve, call 805-773-1234 or visit our website at ValentinaPismoBeach.com/reservations.html.