Enjoying ocean's bounty

The Blackburn family enjoyed the Seafood Festival. Photo / Janna Dixon

Fine weather drew big crowds to the first day of the sixth Auckland Seafood Festival yesterday.

Within the first two hours, 5500 people had walked through the doors of the Viaduct Events Centre.

Last year 23,000 people attended the festival over three days and more than 30,000 were expected this year, organiser David Savidan said.

For $20, festival-goers could sample some of the 120 dishes available, including 30 varieties of seafood.

For adventurous eaters, kina shots, octopus, and sea cucumber were on offer as part of the wild seafood challenge.

Mum Amanda Eason and dad Steven Blackburn were enjoying the atmosphere.

"We've just come back from England and this sort of thing is what New Zealand is all about," Eason said.

Their daughter Anouk-Lily, 5, tucked into fish and chips.

She said her favourite attraction was the display of remote-control flying sharks.

The festival is open 11am-6pm during the long weekend.