Did you know that Island County is home to the oldest and largest mussel farm is the USA?! Penn Cove Mussels, Inc. began culturing mussels in 1975 with the desire to harness the cove’s naturally nutrient-rich water to harvest bigger and better mussels than the ones currently available. The results of this were amazing! Penn Cove mussels grow at a remarkable rate, enabling the mussels to reach harvest size within only one year. This rapid growth rate causes Penn Cove mussels to have a firmer texture, sweeter flavor, and a thinner shell with more meat. As you can guess, it makes them quite a crowd-pleaser.

Whidbey Island’s proximity to Seattle and the Sea-Tac Airport mean these wonderful shellfish don’t have to be a local secret. These mussels are air-shipped all over the world for others to experience and enjoy. Mussels harvested in the morning are on the lunch plates of Seattle seafood lovers by that afternoon and dinner entrees around the world by the evening.

Celebrated With a Festival

For 35 years Penn Cove Mussels have been celebrated with a festival! The original celebrations included a community chowder contest that has now changed over the years into 3 days’ worth of activities and fun. The most recent festivals have attracted more than 6,000 mussels enthusiasts from all over the world. This event alone significantly helps the local merchants recover from the slow winter months.

Musselfest festivities typically kick off on a Friday with the “Mussel Mingle.” This is a time where everyone gathers at the Coupeville Recreational Hall to enjoy food, drink, and listen to music. The next two days are full of mussel cooking demonstrations from incredible Seattle chefs, the massive mussel chowder competition involving 16 different local restaurants, the mussel eating competition, tours of Penn Cove Shellfish, Inc., a mountain bike event (“Mussels in the Kettles”) and more!

Musselfest is a massive community affair that requires all hands on deck to pull off. Dozens of volunteers from all over Coupeville donate their time, finances, and resources to make this festival work. For the past few years, Windermere Whidbey agents have volunteered their time at the Waterfront Beer Garden where they serve up some great local ale while listening to amazing local musicians.