OysterFest
OysterFest
Saturday, Nov. 7 | 10am-4pm
CBMM MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
NON-MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
CBMM will host OysterFest on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10am-4pm, inviting the community to celebrate the Bay’s favorite bivalve with a day of fun for the whole family.
The OysterFest menu, of course, features fresh oysters served a variety of ways, plus other local fare, craft beer, and cocktails. There’s also live music on two stages, an oyster stew competition, boat rides, a full schedule of demonstrations and presentations highlighting Chesapeake traditions and heritage, children’s activities, a christening ceremony for CBMM’s historic buyboat Winnie Estelle, and more.
Tickets are on sale now, including our VIP offering for the ultimate OysterFest experience, with discounted pricing for CBMM members. Save $2 by purchasing your tickets in advance online.
Celebrate the Bay’s favorite bivalve
Whether you prefer to sip, savor, or slurp Chesapeake Bay oysters, you’ll appreciate this beloved fall festival, including offerings from the Talbot Watermen Association and several local oyster farms.
You can also purchase a variety of Chesapeake delicacies and other food offerings via local vendors on campus, plus a beverage selection that includes specialty cocktails and an array of local craft beer options. All food and drinks are an additional charge.
You can join the oyster stew competition to sample offerings from area restaurants and then vote for your favorite to help decide which chefs claim the coveted title and local bragging rights.
The friendly competition continues with our annual oyster slurp-off contest. Interested participants can sign up on the day of the event.
All the oyster-themed fun will come with an upbeat soundtrack thanks to live music on both sides of campus all day long. An OysterFest staple, Electric Newgrass band Swamp Donkey will once again share their unique blend of originals and covers at the historic Tolchester Beach Bandstand. There will also be a stage on Fogg’s Landing to add to the festive atmosphere.
Children are invited to explore life on the Bay through a range of themed, hands-on activities, including lawn games, model boat building, and more.
Discover Chesapeake traditions
Throughout the day, the Van Lennep Auditorium will host a variety of guest speakers, including representatives from the Pocomoke Indian Nation, whose ancestral lands span much of lower Delmarva.
At 11am, Pocomoke council member Norris (Buddy) Howard Jr. will present “The Dugout Canoe: Burning Questions and Smoking Answers,” and at noon, Pocomoke council member Cheryl Doughty will share traditional stories using puppetry for audiences of all ages. In addition, the Pocomoke will offer demonstrations throughout the day on Navy Point, including flintknapping, cattail decoy making, and making music with a river cane flute and water drum, to share their history and traditions with guests.
Representatives from the American Chesapeake Club and their pups will be on hand to highlight Maryland’s official dog, the Chesapeake Bay retriever.
Kris Turner, who is featured in CBMM’s new Stories from the Shoreline exhibition, will offer dip net making demonstrations throughout the day, highlighting his family’s time-tested method of creating an essential tool for Bay watermen.
OysterFest programming, including presentations, demos, and performances from the Pocomoke Indian Nation, the dip net making demo, and the American Chesapeake Club, is supported by the Upper Shore Regional Folklife Center through the Maryland Traditions Program of the Maryland State Arts Council.
Welcome Winnie Estelle back to the Bay
An exciting addition to this year’s festivities: CBMM will celebrate the christening of 1920 Chesapeake Bay buyboat Winnie Estelle with OysterFest guests at 3pm.
Over the past three years, Winnie Estelle has undergone an extensive refit, including the replacement of its original keel, in CBMM’s working Shipyard, and now, the historic buyboat is ready for its next chapter as a floating classroom and ecotourism vessel. Don’t miss this ceremony celebrating Winnie Estelle’s history, the talented shipwrights who have worked on the project, the supporters who made it possible, and the vessel’s exciting future.
In addition, CBMM is pleased to welcome a group of visiting buyboats from around the Bay to be part of the festivities. Stay tuned for details about the participating vessels.
Cruise the Miles River
This year, we’re excited to offer a variety of ways to get out on the water at OysterFest. You’re invited to enjoy a condensed version of our popular Historic Workboat Experience free with admission. These 30-minute cruises, available first-come, first-served from 10am-2pm, share the Chesapeake’s working traditions and fisheries aboard a historic vessel.
Patriot Cruises will present a Narrated Historical Cruise on the Miles River at 2:30pm. Combo tickets that include OysterFest admission and the cruise available here for CBMM members and here for non-members.
Our ticketed sails aboard 1955 skipjack Rosie Parks at 10am and noon are now sold out.
Get your OysterFest gear
Head to the Museum Store to pick up your official OysterFest t-shirt, hat, or commemorative mug. Stay tuned for more details about this year’s featured oyster tin design from our world-class collection.
The Museum Store also offers a variety of oyster-themed finds among its thoughtfully curated, mission-inspired selection of gifts, art, home accents, books, toys, apparel, and more.
Buy your tickets now & save
OysterFest tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door. Guests who purchase their tickets in advance will save $2.
For those purchasing online, festival admission is set at $22 for adults, $19 for seniors (65+) and students (17+), $10 for active and retired military members, and $9 for children ages 6-to-17, with all children 5-and-younger admitted free. At the door, the cost is $24 for adults, $21 for seniors (65+) and students (17+), $12 for active and retired military members, and $11 for children ages 6-to-17, with all children 5-and-younger admitted free.
CBMM members receive discounted pricing to this annual festival and others throughout the year. Adult member tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door, and all children of members (17-and-younger) receive free admission. CBMM members at the Family & Friends level and above can also receive discounted admission for two additional adult guests.
CBMM members become a part of the Chesapeake story, joining CBMM’s mission as stewards of the region’s rich cultural heritage. To discover all the terrific benefits of membership and join today, click here or contact Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka at 410-745-4991 or druzicka@cbmm.org.
You can be a VIP
Celebrate OysterFest in style by purchasing VIP tickets. VIP tickets include festival admission, entry into the oyster stew competition with commemorative mug, access to the VIP Hospitality Lounge with a complimentary beer and wine bar, discounts at the festival bars, and more. The cost is $50 for CBMM members and $80 for non-members for both online and in-person sales.
More to know
This year, OysterFest is generously sponsored by PNC Bank and What’s Up Media.
During the festival, additional free event parking will be available at St. Michaels Middle/High School, with a complimentary shuttle service running to and from CBMM.
For safety reasons, non-service dogs must be kept home during CBMM festivals, including OysterFest. Carry-on alcohol from dock or land is also prohibited.
OysterFest
Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 7, 10am-4pm
CBMM MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
NON-MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
| Online tickets for CBMM members | |
| VIP | $50 |
| Adult | $10 |
| Senior | $10 |
| Student (17+) | $10 |
| Active & Retired Military | $10 |
| Youth 6-17 | Free |
| Child 5 & Under | Free |
| In-person tickets for CBMM members | |
| VIP | $50 |
| Adult | $12 |
| Senior | $12 |
| Student (17+) | $12 |
| Active & Retired Military | $12 |
| Youth 6-17 | Free |
| Child 5 & Under | Free |
| Online tickets for Non-Members | |
| VIP | $80 |
| Adult | $22 |
| Senior | $19 |
| Student (17+) | $19 |
| Active & Retired Military | $10 |
| Youth 6-17 | $9 |
| Child 5 & Under | Free |
| In-person tickets for Non-Members | |
| VIP | $80 |
| Adult | $24 |
| Senior | $21 |
| Student (17+) | $21 |
| Active & Retired Military | $12 |
| Youth 6-17 | $11 |
| Child 5 & Under | Free |
Thank You To Our 2026 Sponsors
