Take in the excitement of the U.S. National Oyster Shucking Competition and National Oyster Cook-off, October 15-16, at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds! Entrants compete for coveted titles, prize money, bragging rights, and a berth to international competitions.
Get your shucking gloves ready! Or simply show up and enjoy a plethora of oyster dishes, seafood, live entertainment, games, shopping, and frosty beverages at this 2-day event celebrating all things oyster!
Carnitarians will enjoy lots of options including stuffed ham, pulled pork, fried chicken, burgers & dogs, sausages, pit beef, and so much more from a variety of local small business eateries. Don’t forget to save room for dessert!
Tickets are $15/day or $20 for a 2-day pass, so you can make it a Fall weekend getaway for yourself or the whole family. Check out a list of local accommodations on our website:
https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/stay/
Pre-purchase tickets and get more info at:
https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/oysterfest-2022/
56th Annual U.S. Oyster Festival
Being surrounded by water and fresh seafood, it only seems fitting that St. Mary’s Maryland is home to the Annual U.S. Oyster Festival. This weekend event, Saturday, October 15th, and Sunday, October 16th, brings fresh and local oysters by the bucket load. You can enjoy them raw, grilled, fried, steamed, and everything in between! Watch as contestants put together amazing oyster dishes for the cook-off (you can even purchase a cookbook) and gather for the main event, the shucking competition.
There are lots of activities to enjoy, including family-friendly shows, live music throughout the day, shopping with local vendors, a beer tent, and more!
Saturday, October 15th Schedule
- Gates Open at 10 a.m.
- Live Music from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. featuring One Trick Pony, Sibling Rivalry Fiddle Band, O’Grady’s Quinlan Academy, and Bootleggers.
- 43rd Annual Cook-off from 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; Awards at 2 p.m.
- Oyster Shucking Competition
- Amateur Shucking Heat from 3 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
- Women’s Early Shucking Heats from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Men’s Early Shucking Heats from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Gates Close at 6 p.m.
Sunday, October 16th Schedule
- Gates Open at 11 a.m.
- Live Music from 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. featuring Eastport Oyster Boys, and Latrice Carr Music Group.
- Oyster Shucking Competition
- Amateur Shucking Heat from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Women’s Final Shucking Heat from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Men’s Final Shucking Heat from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- National Championship at 5 p.m.
- Gates Close at 6 p.m.
Cook-Off Competition
The Cook-off features contestants preparing their own oyster recipes for hors d’oeuvres, soups, and stews, and a main dish. Enjoy a sample of these handmade dishes as the judges decide which dish will be the winner, but if you loved them all, you can purchase a cookbook that has the recipes for you to try at home!
Oyster Shucking Competition
The main event of the U.S. Oyster Festival is the U.S. National Oyster Shucking Championship Contest. Saturday and Sunday features the fastest men and women shuckers representing ten states and the fastest local tidewater shuckers for the championship spot. In previous years, the winners have traveled to Ireland to compete in the International Oyster Festival. Watch in awe as you witness the speed and precision of oyster shucking by the best of the best (and even get the chance to eat the oysters after judging)!
Cornhole Tournament
How about a little friendly cornhole competition with your oysters?
Join the MCAA John Glenn Toss for a Cause Cornhole Tournament for an afternoon of competitive play for cash prizes and an opportunity to support funding for the local STEM scholarship fund. The tournament starts at 10:30 am on Saturday, October 15th and 11:30 am on Sunday, October 16th with an entry fee of $50 for a two-person team. Admission tickets to the Oyster Festival are also required.
