Walvis Bay’s first ever oyster festival went down as a major success.

Organizers reported this week that an estimated four thousand people attended the event over the course of Friday and Saturday last week at the Atlantis Sports Club.

The festival will again take place next year at the same time and has been described as a major potential to lure visitors to the town each year. Some sponsors apparently also committed themselves to the event next year.

The organisers also felt there were some vital lessons learnt this time which would only contribute to the event becoming bigger and better the next time.

Some of Namibia’s best music artists in action at this event included Len Nel, Jaco Blaauw, Dewald du Plessis, Hansie van Niekerk and Tommy van der Nest. South African singer Joharetha van Aardt had crowds at her feet and so had George Longane, a Namibian star who also made a big name for himself on the South Africa’s music scene before returning to his motherland.

Former international model Lizelle Cordier, who now operates fashion school, LC’s Models, in Walvis Bay organized a Miss Toddler Oyster Festival, Miss Junior Oyster Festival and Miss Senior Oyster Festival during the festival.

Thousands of oysters had been sold at the event by Walvis Bay’s two major oyster producers. Stall vendors interviewed said they were happy with the support they got from the public.

The Atlantis Club described the event as one of the best supported in years and also said there is a need to have an annual festival that showcases Walvis Bay’s oyster industry as well as the fact that the town can create social events around its seafood industry.