Join us at Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. in Blaine on Saturday, April 12 at 2pm for an afternoon dedicated to the delicious and fascinating world of bivalves! This free event—hosted by Bellingham SeaFeast and Whatcom Watersheds Information Network, with generous sponsorship from Drayton Harbor Oyster Co.—will feature engaging talks from local shellfish experts, exploring the culinary, ecological, and cultural significance of oysters and other bivalves.
While attendance is free, space is limited—so arrive early to grab a spot! Plus, when you purchase food at Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. on Saturday, a portion of the proceeds will support SeaFeast’s ocean conservation efforts.
Make a day of it! Join us earlier in the day for a beach clean-up at Blaine Marine Park at 11:00am. Help us protect our local waters, then reward yourself with an afternoon of shellfish appreciation!
Come for the clean-up, stay for the shellfish! Let’s celebrate and protect our coastal waters together.
Event Speakers
Adam Schleicher, Chef at Drayton Harbor Oyster Co.
Adam is a chef at Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, where his creativity and passion for hospitality shine through. After studying hospitality management, he began his culinary journey at a dude ranch in Wyoming before refining his skills in Crested Butte, Colorado, working alongside talented chefs in fine dining kitchens. Adam finds joy in feeding people, sharing his knowledge, and seeing the happiness that comes with a delicious meal and the deeper appreciation for it. He has a special admiration for oysters and their versatility, particularly the exceptional local product he works with at DHO. Sweet, savory, or spicy - oysters deliver, and Adam is a master at working with their potential, creating traditional dishes and developing new unexpected fusion cuisines.
Katherine Garrah, Restoration Ecologist & Outreach Biologist at Drayton Harbor Oyster Co.
Kat is a restoration ecologist and community outreach biologist for Drayton Harbor Oyster Company. She specializes in sustainable resource management, shellfish resource management, and connecting people to oysters. With a background in ecology, horticulture, data analysis, and small business, Kat integrates environmental stewardship with economic and community development. Her work includes monitoring water quality, supporting habitat restoration, and ensuring the health and productivity of oysters by addressing upstream environmental factors. Passionate about building resilient local economies rooted in thriving ecosystems, Kat is committed to fostering connections between marine resources and the communities that rely on them.
Ple’la’e’lut • Laura Williams
Shwowe Slhani • Cougar Woman
Bio to come.
Steve Seymour, Co-Owner of Drayton Harbor Oyster Co.
A familiar face in the community, Steve Seymour is the co-owner of Drayton Harbor Oyster Company alongside his son, Mark. With a background in fisheries biology, Steve began oyster farming in the mid-1980s, initially leasing tidelands in Drayton Harbor with his colleague Geoff Menzies. He later stepped away to raise a family, run salmon hatcheries for the Lummi Nation, and contribute to restoration projects across Whatcom County through his work with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA).
After retiring from his 9-to-5, Steve returned to Drayton Harbor in 2013 with Mark to revive and expand the oyster farm, and create the restaurant you know today that serves their oysters. Their dedication has grown the farm-to-table operation, strengthening the local economy, supporting tourism, and providing a reliable source of high-quality, local seafood.