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On September 17, 1978, the first Oyster Festival in Norwalk was inaugurated by a small group of individuals, who subsequently formed the Norwalk Seaport Association. Their goal was to create an event that symbolized the spirit of the revitalization movement in Historic South Norwalk.

That initial event in Veterans Memorial Park in East Norwalk drew 10,000 people from throughout the Northeast. Almost 25 years later, 90,000-110,000 Oyster Festival devotees - many of whom return year after year - join the annual celebration of Norwalk's maritime heritage.

In 2000, the Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster festival was selected by the Library of Congress to represent the State of Connecticut as part of the Local Legend's Program.

The stated purpose of the Norwalk Seaport Association, which was formally incorporated in July 1978, is "to foster public awareness of our maritime resources, environment and heritage through research, education and preservation; and also to foster the preservation and rehabilitation of the area of historical value in Norwalk Harbor and Long Island Sound."