12,000 Oysters Gone in 3 Hours: Midtown Station's 2nd Annual Oyster Fest Overwhelms Ocala

Nobody at Midtown Station saw this coming.

The food hall at 235 SE Watula Avenue hosted its 2nd Annual Oyster Fest on Friday, April 18, and the results were staggering: 12,000 oysters — raw, grilled, fried, and baked — sold out in roughly three hours. The crowd packed the venue from the moment doors opened, and by early evening, every last shell had been shucked.

What Is Midtown Station?

For those unfamiliar, Midtown Station is Ocala's food hall concept, housing six businesses under one roof at 235 SE Watula Avenue. The multi-vendor setup brings together a mix of food, drinks, and community gathering space — a format that has become increasingly popular in Florida's growing cities. Among its tenants, Infinite Ale Works operates its location there after recently closing its original standalone brewery, while Share & Bite and Sharky Grounds coffee round out the food and beverage lineup.

The food hall format proved ideal for an event like Oyster Fest. Multiple kitchen stations meant the team could serve oysters prepared every way imaginable — from raw oysters shucked on-site to bang bang oysters, oyster po' boys, fried oyster tacos, grilled oysters with garlic butter and parmesan, oyster chowder, and even an oyster Rockefeller pizza. The variety kept lines moving and gave guests a reason to come back for seconds and thirds.

The Turnout That Stunned Everyone

The first Oyster Fest in 2025 was a hit, but nothing prepared the Midtown Station crew for what happened this year. The venue was packed wall-to-wall, with guests spilling into outdoor areas as word spread across social media.

"We are so sorry to everyone who didn't get to enjoy them — we hate running out, especially when you showed up for it," the Midtown Station team posted after the event. "But wow… what a turnout."

The sellout speaks to a broader trend in Ocala's dining scene: food-driven events are drawing massive crowds. From the annual King of the Wing cook-off to seasonal festivals and downtown events, Ocala residents are showing up in force for unique culinary experiences.

What It Means for Midtown Station

The Oyster Fest sellout cements Midtown Station's position as more than just a place to grab lunch. The food hall has become a legitimate event destination in Marion County, capable of drawing the kind of crowds typically reserved for downtown festivals or World Equestrian Center events.

For Infinite Ale Works, which recently consolidated its operations to the Midtown Station location after closing its original brewery, the event proved that the move has not dampened its ability to draw a crowd. If anything, the food hall's built-in foot traffic and shared kitchen infrastructure amplified the reach.

Already Planning 2027

The message from Midtown Station was clear: next year, they are doubling down. Whether that means 24,000 oysters, extended hours, or an expanded footprint remains to be seen, but the appetite is obviously there.

For a city that is increasingly putting itself on the culinary map, Oyster Fest is exactly the kind of event that proves Ocala is not just horse country — it is a food town, too.

Keep an eye on Midtown Station's social media and the Only In Ocala events calendar for the 3rd Annual Oyster Fest announcement. And if last year's sellout is any indication, you will want to get there early.