After two years of cancellations the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival is back and the popularity of the event certainly has not waned since it was last held in 2021.

A cold day could not deter the crowd that formed well before the gates opened at 10.30am, to ensure they would not miss out on some of the 20,000 Bluff oysters or other seafood and food on offer.

 The iconic Bluff Oyster made its traditional entrance at 11am, piped onto the site by the Invercargill Highland Pipe Band.

Crowds brave the cold to ensure their early entry to this year's Bluff Oyster and Food Festival. Photo: Supplied

Former Bluff Mayor Bruce Pagan recited the Ode To The Oyster while Festival Chairman John Edminstin welcomed the crowd and declared the festival open.

Edminstin said he was both happy and relieved that the festival was on the go again.

"It is great to see the crowd coming through the gate all rugged up. We are hoping for a great day.”

 He also praised his committee and volunteers.

“Despite not having the festival for two years, they stayed together."

"We have a great team of volunteers.”

 A highlight for crowds was the classic oyster events which saw two new champions crowned.

Xavier Fife of Calders Oysters won the Men’s Open, after opening 50 oysters in a time of 3 minutes 9 seconds while Peg Bishop won the Women’s Open getting through 50 oysters in 3 minutes 34 seconds.

Fife has been opening oysters for six years and finished third in the event in 2021.

“It’s pretty cool, very good,” he said after the win.

Shannon Te Kira of Ngai Tahu Fisheries was second and reigning champion, Ricci Grant of Barnes Oysters third.

Bishop said it was a blessing to do what she always wanted to do but also acknowledged Vic Pearsey who won the last ten titles straight but did not compete in the open this year.

Bishop (68) began opening oysters at Talleys in Motueka when she was 17-years-old.

Here Witehira of Barnes Oysters was second and Natasha Leigh of Ngai Tahu third.

 Team Barnes won the Factory Relay and Ricci Grant the Blindfold Race and Aaron of Barnes Oysters the Novice Race.

 Phoebe of Auckland won the Oyster Eating Final with competitors from all parts of the world taking part including one from China who made the final.

The large crowd enjoyed a range of entertainment from the Mapu-Kuki-Airani Rarotongan drummers, the Bluff School Kapa Haka group, SIT Sounz - comprising of music students from the School of Contemporary Music at SIT, In The Pocket - a Polynesian dance off, singer-songwriter Jackie Bristow, 2018 Southland Entertainer of the Year Lachie Hayes and Dunedin band Sea Beast.