Rock Oyster

Rock Oyster is a music and food festival at Dinham House, in St Minver, Wadebridge, Cornwall, postcode PL27 6RH, on the Camel estuary. Charlie Anderson organises it. The first edition was on 19 and 20 June 2010 at Porthilly Farm, in Rock. The estate opened to the public with this festival. The grounds look onto the estuary, across about forty hectares, and take up to 3,000 people a day. Parking is in the inner fields. Camping is no longer on the estate: a site within walking distance remains, with showers. The house offers refurbished rooms for anyone who does not sleep there. In summer the house speaks of more than 12,000 visits.

The first weekend was sponsored by the St Moritz hotel in Trebetherick. Hugh Ridgway, the owner, spoke of the oysters and mussels next door. Anderson said the support was there to raise money for the RNLI and for St Minver school. There was shucking, workshops, the Great Mackerel Challenge, lanterns and a shore search for the children. The music bill named Lobster Ammunition Conspiracy and The Oyster Destroyers. Paul Ainsworth and Jack Stein were there from the start, with Sharp's at the bar. Cars come up to Dinham House, with yellow signs at the gates. The train stops at Bodmin Parkway, about thirty minutes away, and there are shuttles across the district. Newquay airport is a similar distance. The parking ticket is bought beforehand or on the day. There are circus skills for children and theatre tents facing the estuary.

In late July 2023 the festival ran for four days. The Cornish Times of 1 August told it with boots and glitter in the rain. On Friday, in the Howl tent, Pattern Pusher played Come Along, Happy Place and a version of Praise You. Benny G, on bass, jumped into the crowd on the penultimate song. On the main stage, Groove Armada got people jumping with Superstylin', At the River and I See Ya Baby. Andi Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall cooked, alongside Nathan Outlaw, Simon Stallard, Andrew Tuck, Jude Kereama and Emily Scott.

On Saturday, Maisy Grace brought Based on a True Story to the main stage, a song about Polzeath, and Circles. Jo Hill presented the EP Cinematic Baby and a still unreleased single, about the Falcon Bus, and there was free cider. In the Howl, Mopes, from Newquay, played Down live for the first time. Long Tonic, five musicians in long patterned dresses, closed with trumpet solos and with California. Barry and the Crumpets went through the album Baked Beans on Coast. Peri Rae closed with the tent chanting her name. Land of the Giants, six from Plymouth, filled the Howl that night: voice, trombone, bass, guitar, drums and trumpet. Nile Rodgers and Chic played Le Freak, Everybody Dance, Let's Dance and Up All Night.

On Sunday, Lily Ward sang Shelter acoustic. The Busketeers mixed Arrows with Bittersweet Symphony and a medley of Thunderstruck, Seven Nation Army, Sweet Dreams and Living on a Prayer, changing instruments. Sophie Ellis-Bextor closed on the main stage, in the rain, with Murder on the Dancefloor and Groovejet. Sharp's launched in Cornwall the Silent Bistro of the Solar Wave CHAT IPA: a chair, a beer and headphones. The Big Moon, Gwenno and Don Letts appeared in the Cornish Times among the names of that weekend. The estuary, the Howl and the main stage remain the route.

Lucy Williamson walked the same weekend for Whisper Magazine. The organisers put Nile Rodgers and Chic on as the Saturday closer on the main stage. In the Howl, Long Tonic left the trumpet solos immediately before California, and Land of the Giants took the tent that night with six musicians from Plymouth. The walk-in campsite keeps the showers, and anyone sleeping on the estate uses the refurbished rooms at Dinham House. The Porthilly oysters and the Sharp's bar belonged to the start in June 2010.