U.S. Oyster Festival in St. Mary's County, MD

58th Annual Oyster Festival – October 19-20, 2024

Event Hours :

Saturday (10/19) Gates open at 10:00am and close at 6:00pm

Sunday (10/20) Gates open at 11:00am and close at 6:00pm

 

Buy Tickets

(Single day Admission $15 (Saturday OR Sunday) / Weekend Pass $25 (Saturday and Sunday Admission / Kids 12 and under FREE)

Become a Sponsor

Register to Compete in the U.S. National Oyster Shucking Contest

Vendor applications are closed for 2024

Exhibitor applications are closed for 2024

Please contact usoysterfestival@gmail.com for details. 

301-863-5015

US Oyster Festival, P.O. Box 766, California, MD 20619

Thank you to our 2024 U.S. Oyster Festival Sponsors

Event Agenda

Saturday October 19, 2024

  • 10:00am – The 58th Annual US Oyster Festival Begins! (Gates Open)
  • 10:30am –  Water Nymph Story Time: Performed by Adrianna Reloba  ( Fair Stage – Auditorium)
  • 11:00am – 1:00pm – Cooking Demonstration with Chef’s John Shields and Gwyn Novak (Auditorium)
  • 1:00pm – The Chesapeake Mermaid: Educational Storytime Experience (Fair Stage – Auditorium)
  • 2:00pm – At the Shucking Stage:
    • Presentation of Colors by BSA Troops 560G and 561
    • followed by the National Anthem performed by Megan Rankin Herring
    • The Shucking Competitions begin (Qualifying Rounds)
  • 2:30 –  St Mary’s River Watershed Association presents  (Fair Stage – Auditorium)
  • 3:30 – The Chesapeake Mermaid: Educational Storytime Experience (Fair Stage – Auditorium)

Band Line-Up:

  • Main Shucking Stage
    • 10:00am – 6:00pm – DJ Rock’n Country Carl
  • Pavilion Bands
    • 10am-11:00am – Blair Rich Project
    • 11:30-12:30 – Cougar Flash
    • 1:00pm-2:00pm – One Trick Pony
    • 2:30pm-3:30pm – Honey Trap
    • 4:00pm-5:00pm – Wiskers

Sunday October 20, 2024

  • 11:00am – The 58th Annual US Oyster Festival Continues! (Gates Open)
  • 12:00pm – The Chesapeake Mermaid Experience (Fair Stage – Auditorium)
  • 12:00pm- Mystic Caravan-Belly Dancing (Shucking Stage)
  • 2:30pm – At the Shucking Stage:
    • Presentation of Colors by BSA Troops 560G and 561
    • followed by the National Anthem
    • The Shucking Competitions continues (Championship Rounds)
  • 2:30 – St Mary’s River Watershed Association presents  (Fair Stage – Auditorium)
  • 3:00 –  The Chesapeake Mermaid Experience (Fair Stage – Auditorium)
  • 5:00pm –  Water Nymph Story Time: Performed by Adrianna Reloba  (Fair Stage – Auditorium)

Band Line-Up:

  • Main Shucking Stage
    • 11:00am – 6:00pm – HydraFX
  • Pavilion Bands
    • 11:00am-12:00pm – Kung Fusion
    • 12:30-1:30pm – Monkey Business
    • 2:00pm-3:00pm – Bootleggers
    • 3:30pm-4:30 – Fast Eddie & The Boyz
Great Entertainment

 

 

Shucking Contest

Honor Allen did it again in 2023! – CLICK HERE

Oyster Tasting

 

Great Food

 

 

                   

Once again, Honor Allen captured the Men’s Championship and National Champion in 2024. His winning time was 2 minutes 07.59 Seconds after penalties. Sydney Moran captured the Women’s 2023 Championship. This is her first win. For U.S. National Shucking Championship Contest 2024 Details: Click Here. 

12-Year-Old John Davis sweeps the 2023 U.S. Oyster U.S. National Oyster Cook-Off Contest with the Best Overall Recipe, First Place in the Oyster Appetizer Category, Best Presentation award, and the People’s Choice award. For 2023 cook-off results, CLICK HERE.