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Vancouver's favourite annual celebration of the mighty spot prawn returns this spring

Celebrate this ocean treasure at this wildly popular annual event
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The Spot Prawn Festival returns to Fisherman's Wharf in Vancouver, celebrating the mighty B.C. spot prawn, this May | Chef's Table Society

All hail the mightiest shrimp in British Columbia! Fine, it's actually a prawn - the beloved B.C. spot prawn - at the centre of spring celebrations, and the popular annual Vancouver festival all about the seasonal crustacean is back for 2022.

The Spot Prawn Festival will take place Sunday, May 15 at Fisherman’s Wharf by Granville Island in Vancouver.

First launched in 2006, the annual event is hosted by The Chefs’ Table Society of BC (CTS) and Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association (PPFA) and acts as a fundraiser to support scholarships for culinary students, and to further education, mentorship and sustainability initiatives. Funds will also support the society’s long-term legacy project, the CTS Culinary Centre, which will become a home for the culinary industry and food lovers.

Access to the festival area is free, which gives attendees the chance to head to the docks to buy fresh-from-the-water spot prawns directly from fishers, as well as to view cooking demos and take part in family-friendly activities.

The fest includes two delicious - and ticketed - tasting options. Grab a bowl of chowder for $10, or go all-in for the Spot Prawn Brunch, a "grazing-style" affair enjoyed at high-top tables featuring a tasting menu of six B.C. spot prawn dishes for $65.

Tickets must be purchased in advance for the brunch. Chowder tickets can be purchased in advance or at the dock and are sold in one-hour time slots from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch is 19+ only and is served in two sessions, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The 2022 B.C. spot prawn season opens May 5 and the sweet, juicy gems are only around while stocks last - typically about a month.

B.C. Spot Prawn Festival

When: Sunday, May 15, 2022

Where: Fisherman's Wharf, Vancouver

Cost: Admission is free. Chowder ($10) and brunch ($65) tickets for sale online