Seattle’s oyster superfans, mark your calendars. Elliott’s Oyster New Year is back on November 8, and it’s bringing 18,000 oysters, 40-plus shuckers, and a whole lot of slurping to the waterfront. If you’ve never been, picture an oyster wonderland packed with briny bivalves, crisp wines, and seafood spreads that stretch as far as your appetite can handle. We’ve attended in years past and can confirm: this party is absolute oyster nirvana.

This year is extra special. Elliott’s Oyster House is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and they’re going all out. To mark the milestone, they’re hiding 50 golden oyster shells throughout the event. Find one, and you could win anything from exclusive dinners and wine tastings to gift cards and Elliott’s swag. Think of it as a golden ticket hunt for oyster obsessives.

Now in its 32nd year, Oyster New Year has become the West Coast’s most sought-after oyster celebration. Here’s why: over 25 different varieties of oysters ready to be shucked and slurped, a seafood buffet featuring everything from shrimp and crab to desserts, and more than 40 premium wines, microbrews, and spirits to wash it all down. And for those who like to live dangerously, there’s always the infamous Oyster Luge – an icy oyster shot followed by a quick pour of fine spirit down the shell for that salty-ocean-meets-liquor finish.

Expect a sprint shucking competition where pro shuckers flex their skills, a “Most Beautiful Oyster” contest, how-to-shuck demos, a DJ keeping the energy up all night, and a photobooth to document your oyster-fueled glow. Tickets also include a souvenir wine glass to take home, because you’ll want a reminder of just how many oysters you conquered.

Beyond the indulgence, Oyster New Year is rooted in a good cause. Proceeds benefit the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, supporting marine ecosystem preservation. So yes, eating your weight in oysters is actually an act of environmental heroism.

Tickets sell out fast every year. General admission ($175) gets you in at 5:30 p.m., but if you want to kick things off early with champagne in hand, VIP tickets ($250) open doors at 4 p.m.

So get your crew ready, sharpen your shucking skills, and prepare to celebrate half a century of Elliott’s with a seafood blowout like no other. Because when it comes to Seattle food traditions, Oyster New Year remains the pearl.