U.S. Oyster Festival 2023

Come celebrate the opening of oyster season on the Chesapeake Bay at the 57th annual U.S. Oyster Festival in St. Mary's Maryland! Enjoy both the U.S. National Championship Oyster Shucking contests and the U.S. Oyster Cook-off at this two-day family fun oysterfest. There will be plenty of food and drinks, live music, local artists and other interesting vendors, and best of all, proceeds benefit our local community!

The 2023 U.S. Oyster Festival is 10 am-6 pm on Saturday, October 21st and 11 am-6 pm on Sunday, October 22nd.

Tickets are $15 for one day or $20 for a two-day pass. Attendees 10 and under are admitted free and no ticket is required. Early Bird Special - Get your fee free tickets until June 15th. Eventbrite Ticket fees apply beginning 6/16/2023.

Enjoy oysters served up raw, scalded, grilled on the barbie, on bread, on the half shell, stewed, nude, cooked in savory sauces, in salads, even in desserts… just about every way imaginable and then some!

Sample an exquisite variety of tasty oyster dishes created by our finest local restaurants, farmers, and charitable organizations with profits going back to support our community.

And to complement the bountiful bivalves, enjoy ice cream, shaved ice, kettle corn, donuts, nuts, funnel cakes, baked goods, hand-made old-fashioned sodas, and...of course, local beer and wine.

Young or old: don't forget your ID if you plan to drink alcohol; we have a 100% ID check policy for everyone.

Proceeds from the ticket sales for this event support the community-building efforts of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park. The Rotary motto "Service Above Self" sums up our purpose, both in our community and around the world. In 2019, proceeds from The Oyster Festival allowed the Club to initiate a new food bank for the county. The Feed St. Mary's Food Bank is now an independent stand-alone non-profit corporation, thanks to your financial support.

Along with the charitable foundation of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park, your purchases at the festival directly fund the charitable efforts of many St. Mary's County organizations who sell all of the delicious oyster foodstuffs, so please come hungry, wear loose pants, and spend generously!

Find out more info about the U.S. Oyster Festival including contest details and location maps here.

We look forward to seeing you at the festival!