October 1st marked the official start of oyster harvesting season, and with oyster season comes a wide-array of festivals celebrating the Chesapeake Bay delicacy. Aside from being delicious and nutritious, oysters help clean and filter the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Below are a few events and festivals where you can enjoy oysters this fall. Please note: Events with an asterisk have partnered with the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP). These events will either directly benefit the ORP, collect shells for planting more oysters in the Chesapeake Bay, or both!
Anne Arundel County and Beyond:
Oyster Festival at the Captain Avery Museum, Shady Side. Sunday, October 20th, 12:30–5 p.m. Captainaverymuseum.org *Oystober & Fall Fest at Laurel Park, Laurel. Saturday, October 26th, 1–5 p.m. Laurelpark.com *Brews & Bivalves at Jailbreak Brewing, Laurel. Saturday, October 19th, 12–6 p.m. Jailbreakbrewing.com
Eastern Shore:
Rock Hall Fall Fest in Rock Hall. Saturday, October 12th. Rockhallfallfest.org Tilghman Island Day at Tilghman Island Volunteer Fire Company. Saturday, October 19th, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Stmichaelsmd.org *OysterFest at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels. Saturday, October 26th, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Cbmm.org Oyster Jam at Phillips Wharf, Tilghman Island. Saturday, November 2nd, 12–4 p.m. Phillipswharf.org Brew and Oyster Brawl at Tidewater Inn, Easton. Saturday, November 9th, 3–6 p.m. Tidewaterinn.com
Baltimore and D.C.:
*Oyster Fest 13 at Ryleigh’s Oyster, Baltimore. Saturday, October 12th, 12–9 p.m. Ryleighs.com *Georgetown Shuck It! at Tony & Joe’s, D.C. Saturday, October 19th, 1–5 p.m. Tonyandjoes.com *Oyster Riot XXV at The Bullpen at Nationals Park, D.C. Saturday, October 26th, 1 p.m.–4 p.m. and 7 p.m.–10 p.m. Ebbitt.com
