Guests can share their love for the beneficial but dwindling Great Bay oyster, and try a few of the aphrodisiacs, too, at the upcoming New Hampshire Oyster Fest.  

Aside from oysters, there will be live music, craft beer and local goods on Saturday, Aug. 13, in the downtown and waterfront areas of Newmarket. Events and entertainment are scheduled all day, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

This marks the second year that the festival has run in conjunction with Newmarket’s Olde Home Day as a toast to the former mill town’s roots and rejuvenation of its downtown village and waterfront.

The day starts with a pancake breakfast at Newmarket Community Church and the Lamprey Healthcare 5k Race. Bands will play on two stages, including the Southworth Brothers, Chippy & the Ya Yas, and The Spectras on the bandstand; and All Together Now and Johnny & the Two Timers at Schanda Park. The oyster tent and beer garden will also be at Schanda Park.

The Main Street Farmers’ Market will feature local vendors, and Ampers & Studio is hosting a gallery opening for “Everyday Beauty” by Lindsay Bezich. A fireworks display over Lamprey River is set for dusk.

According to one organizer, state Rep. Adam Schroadter, the area has lost more than 90 percent of its oysters. Adult oyster populations in Great Bay dropped from around 125,000 bushels in 1997 to just 10,044 in 2009. But efforts to rebuild reefs using recycled shell are starting to change that.

The Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire is leading efforts to restore native oyster populations in the Great Bay Estuary, along with the University of New Hampshire, the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership and others.

The festival’s purpose is to benefit both the restoration of oysters and the economic development of communities along Great Bay, said Schroadter, who owns The Stone Church. He said the businesses on Main Street reported record sales during last year’s event. 

Schroadter said he hopes to help brand the area with the oyster in a similar way that Maine has with the lobster.

“Great Bay used to be a hot bed for oyster farming and a few farmers based out of Newmarket are just getting the industry back up and going,” Schroadter said.

Oysters are important to the health of the bay because they are filter feeders and naturally address the problem of nitrogen pollution, which also improves fish habitats.

“Hopefully, the festival will help generate awareness of their importance and of ways people can prevent polluting the water,” he said.

New federal mandates could force Great Bay communities to overhaul their wastewater treatment plants, Schroadter added. But he and some others worry such overhauls could double tax rates while only solving part of the problem. 

Schroadter, a Republican, filed some legislation this summer that he said might help if given support. One is relative to licenses for commercial fishermen.

Currently, oyster farms must get a new license every year. That’s a disincentive for start-ups who may worry about only being licensed one year, according to Schroadter. He wants to see the timeframe extended to make it easier to establish oyster farms, which, in turn, decrease pollution.

Another bill deals directly with nitrogen levels in the Great Bay Estuary. Its intent is to restrict the use of quick-release fertilizers, one source of run-off pollution. Schroadter said controlling such nonpoint sources of pollution may help the towns control their taxes, too.

Guests at the festival can get a literal taste of the benefits of oysters. The day’s schedule is available at www.oysterfestnh.com.