The U.S. Oyster Festival in St. Mary’s County is held annually in October at the St. Mary’s County Fair Grounds. It features Oyster Cook-off and the National Oyster Shucking Contest. The winner of the National Oyster Shucking Contest goes on to compete in the International Oyster Festival in Gallway, Ireland. Contestants come from across the country to compete in St. Mary’s. The Shucking Contest starts on Saturday with several “heats” for the different levels of competition. Winners from these first rounds compete on Sunday, finishing with the crowning of the U.S. Oyster Shucking Champion.
Date: October 15th and 16th, 2016
Time: Sat. 10am-6pm Sun 11am-6pm
Where: St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds
Admission: $7 each; kids under 12 are FREE; food is pay as you eat.
The Oyster Cook-off offers awards several categories, and the recipe chosen as best overall wins the “Grand Champion” award of $1,000. At the U.S. Oyster Festival, spectators taste more than just samples. Local venders are on hand every year serving up area favorites like St. Mary’s Stuffed Ham, fried seafood and steamed shrimp, sausages, boardwalk fries, ice cream and treats, and all types of oysters: fried, grilled, raw, shooters, stewed and even jarred to take home.