Chow Down On the Freshest Oysters In Oklahoma

It's not common to find fresh from the ocean oysters in Oklahoma. But one day out of the year you can in Frederick, Oklahoma.

Sea food aficionados in Oklahoma look forward to the annual Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry. With Oklahoma being a landlocked state, Okies don't typically get the opportunity to enjoy fresh seafood. But at the Frederick Fantast Oyster Fry, Oklahomans can enjoy fresh oysters straight from the Gulf of Mexico.

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The Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry will take place Saturday, March 2 at the Prather Brown Cafeteria in Frederick, Oklahoma. Serving will take place from 3-6 p.m. While waiting for their plate of oysters, attendees can enjoy a craft show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New this year is a car show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and bingo from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. And if you've never been to Frederick, you're encouraged to take a downtown walking tour of town and visit the Pioneer Townsite.

What is the Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry?

The Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry is the annual fundraiser for the Frederick Chamber of Commerce. The annual fundraiser sees thousands of visitors every year. he oyster fry is also a longstanding tradition in the Frederick community. Below is the history of the oyster fry from the Frederick Chamber of Commerce website:

In 1952, a man by the name of Bramlett Johnson brought a bucket of oysters from the Gulf Coast of Texas to Manitou, Oklahoma. He fried up the muscles and served them to the school board, who soon after began holding an annual oyster fry fundraiser. The southwest gained a pearl. The Oyster Fry of southwest Oklahoma was held in Manitou, Oklahoma for 30 years. After years of tradition, the festival outgrew the town and was picked up by the Frederick Chamber of Commerce.

The Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry has now occupied the small town for over 31 years. Frederick sits just 20 miles north of the Red River, the great divider of Oklahoma and Texas. Each year this river is crossed the day before the event. A member of the Oyster Fry Committee drives down to Port Levaca, TX and loads two broken down deep freezers with 140 gallons of freshly caught oysters. The oysters are packed in ice and immediately brought back to Frederick for breading and frying.

The Oyster Fry serves thousands of people each year. Consumers come by bus load from all over the country. The recipe for frying up oysters has not changed since the 1950s. Whether fried or raw, there’s plenty to go around. The Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry has no history of running out of oysters.

Where can you get tickets?

Advance tickets are $25 and are $30 day-of at the door. Tickets for the Frederick Fantastic Oyster Fry can be purchased online by emailing the Frederick Chamber of Commerce at frederickcc@pldi.net or by calling the chamber at 580-335-2126. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the chamber or at various local businesses in Frederick, including ACE Hardware, BancFirst, Box Inc., Frazer Bank and Jackson Funeral Home.