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Penn Cove MusselFest 2012

Bold, briny and blue! This weekend marks the 26th anniversary of the Penn Cove MusselFest, held on Coupeville’s historic waterfront.

Historic Coupeville celebrates these delectable mollusks March 2nd through March 4th. With an art studio tour, chowder tasting, mussel eating competitions and activities for all ages, this year promises to be filled with culinary delights and local fun.

Photo by Darrell Scattergood.

Festival activities start with a stop by the MusselFest Headquarters located at the Coupeville Recreation Hall, at which tickets for the tasting and boat rides can be purchased. While there, guests can watch mussel cooking demonstrations and the daily mussel-eating competition. The Penn Cove Shellfish Mussel, Beer and Wine tent features live music.

Mussel chowders worth sampling include a delightful Thai green curry Coupeville Coffee and Bistro and a blood orange medley at the new Italian bistro, Ciao.

Notable work on the art studio tour is the vibrant collection of Whidbey Island artist Helen Bates. Her prolific creations in oils, acrylics, monotypes and mixed media provide a fresh, playful insight into Puget Sound rural life. Bates, a refreshingly approachable artist, effectively blends Asian themes with Pacific Northwest nautical tributes.

Photo by Darrell Scattergood.

For more information, go to www.thepenncovemusselfestival.com or call the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce at (360) 678-5434.