Community

AMOF in the Community

The Annual Milford Oyster Festival in the Community

The charter of the Annual Milford Oyster Festival, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, is multi-faceted:

  • Promote the City of Milford, our beautiful downtown and harbor areas and local businesses with a community-oriented day of entertainment and attractions.
  • Celebrate the oyster industry and its proud history in Milford and Long Island Sound.
  • Provide a forum for the outreach of civic groups to raise awareness and funds for their organizations.

The Milford Oyster Festival has a direct positive economic impact on Milford. As the only tourist event in Milford, the Festival attracts thousands of visitors every year from outside of Milford. Local restaurants, businesses, vendors and civic groups reap the benefit of these tourism dollars during the Festival weekend. The positive economic impact of the Festival continues throughout the year as Festival goers return to Milford to enjoy our vibrant downtown and harbor areas.

The Festival is proud to host 70+ civic groups throughout the downtown and harbor areas. For many groups, the festival is their most important public awareness & fund raising event of the year.

In addition to festival day activities, the Festival annually supports many local organizations with direct contributions. Over the past 10 years, the Festival has contributed in excess of $60,000 to local civic projects and groups. From multi-year funding of the hanging flower baskets at Lisman Landing and the Hotchkiss Bridge in our beautiful harbor area, to the upgrade of the Beth-El computer infrastructure or the annual Children’s Trout Derby at the duck pond, the Festival is proud to be a part of the “Small City with a Big Heart.”

The Annual Milford Oyster Festival dedicated the bench on Founder’s Walk.

The Committee representing the 2019 Milford Oyster Festival was pleased to donate over $23,000 to various charities in Milford. Pictured are members of the 2019 committee and charity representatives.

The Annual Milford Oyster Festival Announces 2019 Charitable Contributions

Representatives from both The 45th Annual Milford Oyster Festival Committee and the 2019 charitable contribution recipients met at the Milford Chamber of Commerce on February 14, 2019 for a presentation of charitable funds of over $23,000.

2019 recipients include Scholarship in Memory of Linda Stock, Hotchkiss Bridge Flowers, Bridges FOS/FOF, Camp Happiness, Food2Kids, Foran HS Post Prom Committee, JL Guard & Competition Band, JLHS Post Prom Committee, Keeping Milford Warm, Kids Count, Literacy Volunteer of Southern CT, Milford Animal Shelter, Milford Children’s Trout Derby,Milford Food Bank, Milford Friends of Library, Milford Prevention Council, Milford Toys for Tots, Rape Crisis Center of Milford, Scholarship of Social Learning Benhaven, Senior Heating Assistance Program – Dept of Human Services – City of Milford, United Way of Milford – Adopt-A-Family Program, Milford Historical Society, Slainte Milford, Wreaths Across America and Milford United Sports. Other recipients include the Milford Little League and the Boys and Girls Club of Milford,

“Supporting so many valuable and important groups in Milford is part of our mission, not only during the Oyster Festival but also throughout the year” said Jay Pinto, President of The Milford Oyster Festival.

On Saturday, August 15th the Milford Oyster Festival will hold the 46th annual celebration from 10:00AM till 6:00PM. Oyster Eve, a pre-festival event will be held on Friday, August 14th, from 6:00PM to 10:00PM. For more information please check the festival website, www.milfordoysterfestival.com

The Annual Milford Oyster Festival Announces 2017 Charitable Contributions

Representatives from both The 43rd Annual Milford Oyster Festival Committee and the 2017 charitable contribution recipients met at the Milford Chamber of Commerce on February 15, 2018 for a presentation of charitable funds of $19,100.

2017 recipients include School of the World, JLHS Post Prom Committee, Foran HS Post Prom Committee, CT Concerned Citizen’s for People with Disabilities, Keeping Milford Warm, Get In Touch Foundation, CT Hospice, United Way of Milford – Adopt-A-Family Program, Senior Heating Assistance Program – Dept. of Human Services – City of Milford, Scholarship of Social Learning, Benhaven Rape Crisis Center of Milford, Milford Prevention Council, Milford Food Bank, Milford Children’s Trout Derby, Milford Animal Shelter, Literacy Volunteer of Southern CT, Kids Count, Camp Happiness, Bridges FOS/FOF, Milford Friends of Library, Food2Kids, JL Guard & Competition Band, Bridges – Young Parent Program, Beth-El Center, Milford Toys for Tots, Special/On-going – Scholarship in Memory of Linda Stock and United Way of Milford.

“We are excited to support and assist so many valuable and important groups within Milford ” said Ila Tokarz,President of The Milford Oyster Festival.

On Saturday,August 18th the Milford Oyster Festival will hold its 44th annual celebration from 10:00AM till 6:00PM. Oyster Eve, a pre-festival event will be held on Friday, August 17th, from 6:00PM to 10:00PM. For more information please check the festival website, www.milfordoysterfestival.com

On behalf of the Milford Oyster Festival Committee, we were able to donate to United Way of Milford and Milford Literacy.

Phillip Kohan of the Milford Oyster Festival Committee presented a donation to Paul Piscatelli, Director of the Department of Recreation for Milford, for $250. The donation will go to Camp Happiness, which is a summer camp for children with disabilities in Milford. This was a donation from the 2016 Committee representing the Milford Oyster Festival.