St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival, California, Maryland – 2021
For oyster lovers, oyster festivals are the paradises on earth. There is so much to do at an oyster festival while slurping the fresh briny meat trapped inside a couple of little shells. There are many oyster festivals organized around the country and choosing one is a difficult decision to make.
Would you love to shuck some oysters, taste the best oyster dishes and try out the freshest Chesapeake oysters? Then, “St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival, California, Maryland” should definitely go to your bucket list. This is the ideal oyster festival for a family of oyster lovers living in the United States.
Chesapeake Oyster is the signature oyster type in Maryland which is the home of the Chesapeake Bay. Does not matter how they are served, slurped raw on the half shell, or fried, baked, braised, or roasted, Chesapeake oysters are known to be everyone’s favorite.
If you still have not tried the Chesapeake Oysters, make it the reason to hit the St. Mary’s County Oyster festival this year. It is a splendid family-oriented event held in Maryland every autumn to celebrate the globally loved oysters. St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival is known for its oyster cooking and shucking competitions. Here is all you should know before going to the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival this year.
CONTENT
1. Date
16th October 2021 – Saturday – From 10 am to 6 pm
17th October 2021 – Sunday – From 11 am to 6 pm
2. Tickets
Admission for adults – $10
Admission for kids of age 12 and under – Free
3. Competitions
- Oyster Shucking Competition in St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival
Tasting oysters are joyous to everyone but for some people shucking them brings the greatest joy. Oyster shucking competitions at St.Mary’s County Oyster Festival are organized for such people who love and have the skill of shucking oysters.
This contest organized and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lexington Park is open to all citizens of the United States. You have to pay an entry fee of $100 to participate in this contest and it should be submitted along with the entry forms. You can also have someone sponsor you for the oyster shucking contest.

Cook-off
Oysters are believed to taste the best when they are served raw and fresh. But there are some recipes and cooks who can break this idea and serve you the best cooked, roasted, and baked oyster dishes with a mouthwatering aroma.
The cook-off contest is for the people who want to show off their oyster cooking skills. If you are hoping to participate in this event, you will have to submit your recipes before 31st August 2021.
4. Directions
From the Baltimore Md. Area (Outside Gray Route)
Take the Baltimore Beltway to Interstate 97 South
Follow Interstate 97 South to the Rt-3/Rt-301 Cutoff
Follow Md. Rt-3 through Bowie to its intersection with Rt-301 at Rt-50
Follow Rt-3/Rt-301 to the Rt-4 Overpass
Take Rt.-4 South through Calvert County and into St. Mary’s County
Proceed on Rt-4 to Leonardtown, Md.
Turn Left at Rt-5 and proceed a few short miles to the Fairgrounds
From the Washington D.C. Area (Blue Route)
Take the Washington Beltway to the Branch Avenue Exit (Md. Rt-5)
Follow Rt-5 through Clinton Md. to the Rt-301 Intersection
Follow Rt-5/Rt-301 to Waldorf, Md.
Turn Left on Rt-5 South in Waldorf
Follow Rt-5 to Leonardtown, Md.
(Rt-5 splits to right some 20 Miles south of Waldorf, Md.)
Pass through Leonardtown and follow Rt-5 to the Fairgrounds 2 miles south of town
From Points South
Take U.S. Rt-301 North to the Potomac River Bridge
Follow U.S. 301 to the Rt-234 Intersection
Follow Rt-234 to Leonardtown, Md.
Rt-234 will flow into
Rt-5 at Leonardtown, Md.
Take Rt-5 to the Fairgrounds a few miles south of town