The Annual Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration Returns With New Attractions and Gastronomic Experiences

RICHMOND, British Columbia, May 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B.C.'s highly-anticipated spot prawn season is back for another year at historic Steveston Village, and Tourism Richmond and the Steveston Harbour Authority are thrilled to invite locals and tourists alike to celebrate the short and sweet season at the second annual Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration. From now until June 18th, spot prawn festivities are taking place to shine a spotlight on the popular delicacy and the storied fishing history found at Steveston's Fisherman's Wharf through family-friendly activities including opportunities to ?buy off the dock' from local fishers, and the return of the ?Dine About' program where local chefs will showcase a true (and fresh!) taste of the best of Richmond's spot prawn and seafood bounty.

"We are thrilled to be back for a second year of the Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration, and this year promises to be better than ever. Every year, our loyal customers line up for hours at the Wharf to kick off spot prawn season and this year was no different," says Nancy Small, CEO of Tourism Richmond. "We are excited to keep the spot prawn frenzy going with a 45 day celebration, which includes activities for people of all ages from now until June 18th, and everyone is invited to visit Steveston Village to experience it for themselves! From cooking demos at Fisherman's Wharf to a new exhibition at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, and the return of our popular Dine About program - which highlights some of the top restaurants and chefs offering mouth-watering seasonal spot prawn and seafood dishes - there is truly something for everyone."

Spot prawn sales officially kicked off earlier this month, and people are encouraged to make the most out of this year's spot prawn and seafood celebrations by visiting Steveston Village from now until June 18th. Highlights of the Celebration include:

• Spot prawn & seafood sales at the dock: Visit Fisherman's Wharf and buy your spot prawns directly from the source for a limited time only! Support local fishers - including Steveston's beloved Fisherman Frank - as they return each morning with their daily catch. Come early for the chance to take home fresh spot prawns for dinner (they often sell-out by the afternoon!), a truly unique highlight of spot prawn season.
• Dine About with the new Spot Prawn & Seafood Dine About Passport: From June 1st to 18th, indulge in the Dine About program, which sees local chefs and restaurants participating in spot prawn season by serving seasonal spot prawn and seafood dishes for the duration of the celebration only, in partnership with Steveston fishers. New to the program this year is the introduction of a Dine About Digital Passport, which launches June 1st. Don't forget to make a reso!
• Visit the culinary stage at Fisherman's Wharf: On Saturday, June 10th and Sunday, June 11th, visit the Tourism Richmond culinary stage at Fisherman's Wharf and enjoy cooking demonstrations and insider tips from top local chefs including Chef Robert Clark, Chief Culinary Officer at Organic Ocean, Chef Harris Sakalis, Executive Chef at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, and Chef Ian Lai, Executive Director at Urban Bounty!
• Spend a festive day in Steveston Village: Enjoy the best of Steveston's spot prawn celebrations with all-ages activities in historic Steveston Village! Visit the new Fish Tales exhibition at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site opening on Saturday, May 27th, take a photo at our spot prawn selfie station, check out the Steveston Tram museum or Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site, and much more!

This year's popular Dine About program returns on June 1st and brings together 12 local restaurants and chefs working in partnership with Steveston fishers to offer an authentic taste of fresh, local seafood - a true "ocean to plate" gastronomic experience. Foodies are encouraged to make a reservation in advance, and to download the all-new Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Dine About Passport for $2 off the featured spot prawn dish at all participating Dine About Restaurants from June 1st-18th, 2023. Each time you redeem a $2 discount, you'll also be automatically entered into a draw for the chance to win a Steveston restaurant gift card. The more restaurants you visit, the higher your chance of winning!

"As a newcomer to Vancouver, I look forward to my first spot prawn season, and we are thrilled to be taking part in this year's Dine About program at the Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration," says Chef Harris Sakalis, Executive Chef at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. "Spot Prawn season is a quintessential West Coast dining experience and we can't wait to showcase the best of Steveston with our Spot Prawn feature at Globe@YVR this year, and to give people a true taste of B.C.!"

Can't miss restaurants included in this year's Dine About program include:

• Britannia Brewing, where you can pair locally brewed beer with Smoked Garlic Butter Spot Prawn Skewers with Toasted Focaccia
• Catch Kitchen + Bar, who will be offering a sizzling garlic spot prawn appetizer along with amazing views of Steveston's historic harbour from its rooftop patio.
• Globe@YVR at Fairmont Vancouver Airport, where you can enjoy their Spot Prawn & Cherry Gazpacho at the iconic Fairmont restaurant offering a backdrop of YVR's active runways
• Steveston Seafood House, winner of the "Best Seafood Restaurant" as voted by the people of Richmond for 12 years running, where they will be serving a mouthwatering Spot Prawn Ceviche! Check out the full list of participating restaurants online: Spot Prawn & Seafood Dine About

To learn more about spot prawn season and the Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration, visit stevestonseafoodcelebration.com.

Follow along + tag us on social media

• Instagram: @visitrichmondbc
• Facebook: @RichmondBC
• Twitter: @visitrichmondbc
• Hashtags: #richmondmoments #richmondbc      

About Tourism Richmond

Tourism Richmond is British Columbia's 4^th largest destination marketing organization (DMO), responsible for promoting Richmond to residents, leisure travellers, meeting planners, travel media, and anyone that influences travel. They also work closely with travel and tourism industry stakeholders and municipal officials to enhance and position Richmond as a can't-miss part of Metro Vancouver. Their ultimate goal is to ensure Richmond and the community benefit from a thriving visitor economy.

Media Contact:
Krystal Wiggins
778-861-8944
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/abfcffa2-acda-44f3-8291-7db8fcd61e1d