Rocky Mountain oysters prepared for the 2019 Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry in Virginia City.
Virginia City Tourism Commission
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
The 30th annual Virginia City Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry is restructured to accommodate COVID-19 safety precautions and is set for March 13 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry celebrates St. Patrick’s Day and Virginia City’s Irish and Basque roots.
“Last year we had to cancel the Oyster Fry the day before due to the pandemic shutdowns so we’re looking forward to bringing it back, albeit in a different way than we have before,” Deny Dotson, tourism director for Virginia City Tourism Commission, said in a news release. “In normal years, this event kicks off the Northern Nevada event season and brings a much needed boost to our local businesses that struggle through the winter months. We’re optimistic that our new revamped festival will allow for our businesses to be more involved and to support them during what has been an extremely tough year. We’re confident that the changes we’ve made this year are going to make for a safe and fun return of one of our most popular celebrations.”
The 2021 Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry takes participants on a tour of the town, with the beef fry samples at various locations including restaurants, saloons and merchants. For $45, ticket holders receive a tasting ticket for each of the 10 testicle samples, as well as and additional 15 locations serving up alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages and a variety of treats. To adhere to occupancy guidelines in place, a limited number of tickets are available.
The sampling begins at 10 a.m. At noon, the St. Patrick’s Day Cruise rolls down C Street where anyone is invited to join, decorate their vehicles and drive down the town’s main drag. Walking groups, congregating along the boardwalk and tossing of candy is prohibited.
Tickets to the fry are limited and are on sale online. Tickets will be sold in advance only, no walk-ups or day-of sales.
All visitors and residents are required to adhere to current Nevada guidelines to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. This includes wearing masks, practicing physical distancing and washing hands. Virginia City and its businesses have put in place extra precautions and measures to adhere to all current guidelines, however, these activities are subject to change based on the current environment.
For information, visit VisitVirginiaCityNV.com.
