Virginia City, NV…Virginia City, Nevada, is known for a few big things – the discovery of the Comstock Lode, one of the largest deposits of silver ore ever discovered; and the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, one of the largest gatherings of revelers consuming bull testicles at an event. Yes, each year the historic mountain mining town hosts the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry and St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a festive celebration of its Basque roots and an all-out Irish party like no other. In 2022, the 31^st annual Oyster Fry is set for March 12 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. including a parade, costume contests, music and of course, tasty testes that are served up by daring cooks from around the region.

2019 Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry | Virginia City, Nevada | Virginia City Tourism Commission

Often referred to as the “testicle festival,” the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry is one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in northern Nevada and draws thousands of partygoers up to the Comstock to partake in the delicacy, along with the Ball Breaker Saloon Crawl, a tour of the town’s many saloons featuring samples of themed adult beverages. The “land oysters” are served up in a variety of ways as cooks are competing for prizes and awards in multiple categories.

“This event kicks off our special event season with a bang every year,” Deny Dotson, tourism director for Virginia City Tourism Commission, said. “It’s one of the first major special events of the year in northern Nevada, and folks are always eager to get out and have some fun. For our local merchants and businesses, it brings a very welcome crowd up to the Comstock to support our shops, restaurants and saloons who tend to be a lot slower during the winter months.”

Rocky Mountain Oyster tastings begin at 10 a.m. with cooks competing for the title of “Best Rocky Mountain Oyster Cook in the West,” along with cash prizes. At noon, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade marches down C Street, the town’s main drag, where the more outlandish outfit, the better. Tasting packages and saloon crawl tickets are available for purchase in advance online or onsite the day of the event, however those tasty oysters go fast so it is recommended to purchase in advance.

Tasting packages include the “Tasty Testes” to sample them all for $40, the Ball Breaker Saloon Crawl for $25, or go “Fully Monty” and get both for $55.

The Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry is sponsored by Coors Light, the Bucket of Blood Saloon and Camelot Party Rentals.

For more information on Virginia City, Nevada, and the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, visit VisitVirginiaCityNV.com.

A short 30-minute drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport takes visitors to one of the largest historic districts in the Unites States – Virginia City, Nevada. Come experience this mining “boomtown” as it was in the 1800’s. Step back in time while visiting the numerous historic buildings, saloons, churches and museums or take a mine tour or even ride a real steam train. The Comstock Adventure Passes offer the best value with discounted attraction packages.  For lodging, event calendar or Comstock Adventure Passes, visit online or call 775-847-7500. The Visitor Information Center is located at 86 South C Street, Virginia City.

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