Experience Winter on the Chesapeake at CBMM this Saturday

Nearly 400 guests participated as judges in CBMM’s Oyster Stew Competition at OysterFest. (Photo by George Sass)

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Oct. 28, 2025 – The culinary team from The Oaks Waterfront Hotel, led by Chef Dave Donohue, took top honors at the Oyster Stew Competition as part of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s annual OysterFest last Saturday.

During CBMM’s celebration of the Bay’s favorite bivalve, nearly 400 guests sampled five stew entries from local chefs and cast their ballots in a blind poll. The Oaks’ entry was the champion with Stew D to the delight of Donohue, who won the coveted title at OysterFest for the first time after several runner-up finishes including last year.

Donohue shared that his stew recipe is incorporated into the oyster pot pie at the resort’s restaurant, The Oak Room. The contest gives him a chance to turn up the flavors with more oysters, bacon, and sherry, aiming to impress the judges who are just sampling a few bites.

“The oyster stew contest is something all the local chefs look forward to!” Donohue said. “It’s always fun tasting everybody else’s soup and seeing old friends, but ultimately, it’s a chance to give back to the community and help support the many great works of CBMM. Oh, and the bragging rights are nice, too!”

OysterFest guests sampled five stews and voted for their favorite. (Photo by George Sass)

Chesapeake Chef Service and Chef Kurt Peter landed second place with Stew A, while Theo’s Steaks, Sides & Spirits, led by Jason Huls-Miller, took bronze with Stew B. Gourmet by the Bay at the Village Shoppe (Stew C) and T at the General Store (Stew E) were also part of the fun.

CBMM was thrilled to welcome nearly 4,000 guests for OysterFest for a day of delicious food and drinks, oyster-themed festivities, and family fun. Click here to see a selection of photos from the fall-favorite festival courtesy of volunteer photographer George Sass.

Up next, CBMM hosts the Holiday Edition of the Eastern Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10am-4pm., before closing out festival season with its Winter on the Chesapeake celebration on Saturday, Dec. 13, in conjunction with Christmas in St. Michaels. Learn more and buy tickets at cbmm.org/Festivals.

CBMM’s annual OysterFest celebration is coming Saturday, Oct. 25. (Photo by Jill Jasuta/Maryland State Arts Council)

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Oct. 22, 2025 – You’re invited to join the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum for OysterFest this Saturday, Oct. 25!

Running 10am-4pm, this beloved fall festival features oysters served all of your favorite ways–plus more tasty food options, craft beer, and spirits–and fun for the whole family across our waterfront campus.

Whether you’re a returning guest or this is your first OysterFest, these FAQs about the festivities will help you to get the most out of your visit.

You can buy your tickets online now or at the door, including our new VIP option and Fall Festival Passes. (CBMM members click here for online sales, and non-members click here.)

You can check out the event program here. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to havefun@cbmm.org with any additional questions.

Where should I park & enter?

Parking is available at CBMM. Please note that CBMM’s parking lot will reach capacity during large events. Overflow parking is located at St. Michaels Middle/High School on Seymour Avenue with shuttles running on a loop to and from CBMM from 10am-5pm. Additional public parking lots and street parking are available throughout the town. Find more things to know about visiting CBMM festivals here.

CBMM has access points on both sides of campus. Guests can enter the Fogg’s Landing side of campus through the Welcome Center or start on Navy Point by utilizing the South Entrance, which is home to Patriot Cruises Ticketing as well as the Shipyard Store, and Marina Guest Center. Both buildings also serve as exit points.

How do I become a VIP?

New this year, VIP tickets offer the ultimate OysterFest experience! This limited-availability pass includes festival admission, entry into the oyster stew competition with commemorative mug, access to the VIP Hospitality Lounge with a complimentary beer and wine bar, an exclusive OysterFest tote bag with a list of vendor specials, and discounts at the festival bars.

Join the oyster stew competition as a guest judge, sample four offerings, and vote for your favorite. (Photo by Sharon Thorpe)

What kind of oysters are available?

Whether you prefer to sip, savor, or slurp Chesapeake Bay oysters, you’ll find something to enjoy at our annual celebration of the Bay’s favorite bivalve. The Talbot Watermen Association will be offering fresh Chesapeake Bay wild oysters on the half-shell, served both raw and steamed at a cost of $18 per dozen or $10 for a half dozen, plus oyster stew. Local farm Choptank Oyster Company will be serving raw and grilled oysters, and the Tilghman United Methodist Church stand is the spot for fried oysters with fries. All food and drinks are an additional charge.

What else is there to eat and drink?

Beyond the oysters, you can 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.

There will be beer trucks stationed on Navy Point across from the Hooper Strait Lighthouse and Fogg’s Landing. Located next to the Oystering building, the Cocktails by the Bay Beverage Cart will serve up oyster shooters, plus rum and bourbon cocktails, mimosas, Bloody Marys, and more, while Rosie’s Tavern, beside the Small Boat Shed, will offer a similar menu of tasty cocktails.

Don’t miss a variety of additional food vendors featuring festive fare, including pizza, tacos, pit beef/turkey, lobster rolls, seafood, gourmet sandwiches, bacon, funnel cakes, coffee, and more.

Who has the area’s best oyster stew?

Beginning at 11am, you can join the oyster stew competition to sample five offerings from area restaurants/caterers and then vote for your favorite to help decide which chefs claim the coveted title and local bragging rights. The cost is $18 and includes a commemorative OysterFest mug. Registration takes place the day of the festival and is included with VIP tickets! This year’s competitors are Chesapeake Chefs, Gourmet by the Bay at the Village Shoppe, t at the General Store, Theo’s Steaks, Sides & Spirits, and The Oaks Waterfront Inn.

Swamp Donkey is back to share its unique sound throughout OysterFest. (Photo by Jill Jasuta/Maryland State Arts Council)

Will there be live music?

Yes, there will be live music on both sides of campus to keep the excitement going all day long. An OysterFest staple, Electric Newgrass band Swamp Donkey will once again share their unique blend of originals and covers throughout the day at the historic Tolchester Beach Bandstand. There will also be a stage on Fogg’s Landing, including performances by St. Michaels favorite JCT33 (10am-1pm) and local sibling trio The Folk Villains (1-4pm).

How do I get out on the water?

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. Sign-ups and cruises are located on H Dock in Fogg’s Cove, next to the Changing Exhibitions Building deck.

We’re also offering three ticketed sails aboard 1955 skipjack Rosie Parks at 10:30am, noon, and 1:30pm that are now sold out. In addition, Patriot Cruises will present a Narrated Historical Cruise on the Miles River at 12:30pm with combo tickets that include OysterFest admission and the cruise available. We’re also welcoming a pair of visiting tall ships to join in the fun. A.J. Meerwald, a restored oyster dredging schooner that is New Jersey’s official tall ship, is offering free dockside tours from 10am-3pm and a ticketed public sail at 4pm, while Lady Maryland, a full-scale reproduction of a traditional 19th century Chesapeake Bay cargo schooner called a pungy, will be available for free deck tours during the festival before offering a ticketed sunset sail at 5pm.

The Oyster Slurp-Off Competition is always an OysterFest highlight. (Photo by Jill Jasuta/Maryland State Arts Council)

Who is the Slurp King or Queen?

We’ll find out on Saturday. Sign up in front of the Tolchester Beach Bandstand to join in CBMM’s Oyster Slurping Contest, which challenges contestants to slurp six oysters for speed. There will be three preliminary rounds at 2pm, with the winners advancing to the final at 2:30pm to crown a champion. Sign up in front of the Tolchester Beach Bandstand!

What’s going on in the Van Lennep Auditorium?

Stop by Van Lennep Auditorium throughout the day to hear guest speakers and Bay-themed presentations sponsored by the Upper Shore Regional Folklife Center.

Representatives from the Pocomoke Indian Nation, whose ancestral lands span much of lower Delmarva, will be on hand to share their history and traditions with guests through a pair of auditorium presentations as well as a variety of demonstrations throughout the day near CBMM’s Shipyard.

At 11:30am, Pocomoke council member Cheryl Doughty will share traditional stories using puppetry for audiences of all ages, and at 1:30pm, Pocomoke council member Norris Howard will offer a 30-minute history presentation followed by a Q&A.

Also in the Van Lennep Auditorium, children’s author Jeff Dombek will read his book “How the Oysters Saved the Bay” at 12:30pm and 2:30pm, and the short film “Surf and Turf: A Chesapeake Watershed Story” will screen at 3pm courtesy Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

Children can build a model boat and watch it float with help from members of CBMM’s Maritime Model Guild. (Photo by Sharon Thorpe)

What is there for children to do?

The whole family can enjoy free oyster-themed lawn games across from the Corn Crib. The Phillips Wharf Fishmobile traveling aquarium will be on campus, and there will also be a build-a-boat station hosted by CBMM’s Maritime Model Guild at a cost of $3 per child.

What else is on the schedule?

The American Chesapeake Club will be on hand for a meet-and-greet with Maryland’s official dog, the Chesapeake Bay retriever. Stop to see them next to the Hooper Strait Lighthouse to meet these incredible dogs, learn about their history and unique characteristics, and chat with ACC members about responsible breeding, training, and the breed’s strong connection to the Chesapeake region.

Next to the Oystering on the Chesapeake exhibition, renowned woodworker Jimmy Harvey, of nearby Bozman, Md., will share an oyster tong shaft-making demonstration.

CBMM will also debut a new theater space, showcasing a selection from its library of historic and documentary films throughout the day, including a series of short films exploring the forces of change in the Chesapeake’s low-lying island communities—Hoopers, Smith, and Holland—and the threatened loss of culture faced by residents from celebrated Bay filmmakers Dave Harp and Tom Horton and excerpts from Harp and Horton’s other films with collaborator Sandy Cannon-Brown.

In addition to its venerable floating fleet of traditional Chesapeake vessels and the visiting tall ships, CBMM is honored to welcome several notable visitors to our waterfront for OysterFest in Chesapeake Bay buyboat Nellie Crockett and skipjack Ida May. Both vessels will be available for boarding by permission from their respective owners.

Where can I get OysterFest gear?

Head to the Museum Store to pick up your official OysterFest t-shirt, hat, or commemorative mug. This year’s design highlights a one-gallon oyster tin from CBMM’s extensive collection, featuring a silhouetted sailboat underway, that was packed by Harrison & Jarboe Seafood Company in the 1950s on CBMM’s Navy Point and marketed as Miles River Brand Oysters.

Be sure to check out a variety of other oyster-themed products in stock, as well. (And, don’t forget to stop by the new Shipyard Store at our South Entrance!)

Try your hand at tonging for oysters at Waterman’s Wharf! (Photo by George Sass)

What else should I see on campus?

Amid all the excitement of the festival, guests are encouraged to explore the exhibitions and historic structures spread across CBMM’s 18-acre campus, including Oystering on the Chesapeake where you can board a skipjack while exploring how oystering has shaped the region’s history, culture, and landscape, Waterman’s Wharf where you can try your hand at tonging for oysters like a Chesapeake waterman, and the working Shipyard that is currently home to several projects spotlighting the care of traditional Chesapeake Bay workboats used in the oystering industry, including the on-going refit of 1920 buyboat Winnie Estelle.

Become a part of the Chesapeake story as a CBMM member and join our mission as stewards of the region’s rich cultural heritage, plus enjoy access to exclusive experiences, programs, and discounts, including reduced pricing for all the annual festivals celebrating the best of the Bay. Annual Household memberships start at $100. Choose the membership level and benefits that are right for you!

What else is going on in town?

We’re thrilled to welcome you to St. Michaels, which has been named the best small town in Maryland by Southern Living. Be sure to take a stroll around our quaint historic Eastern Shore town and get a sense of all that it has to offer. Many local businesses are our partners offering discounts to CBMM members through our MemberPerks program. Visit StMichaelsMD.com to learn more and plan out the rest of your stay here.

What else should I know?

For safety reasons, non-service dogs need to be kept home during CBMM festivals, including OysterFest. Carry-on alcohol from dock or land is also prohibited.

CBMM hosts OysterFest on Saturday, Oct. 25, with a full slate of festive activities to celebrate the Bay’s favorite bivalve. (Photo by George Sass)

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Oct. 3, 2025 – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will host OysterFest on Saturday, Oct. 25, 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 spirits. There’s also live music on two stages, an oyster stew competition, boat rides, a full schedule of demonstrations and presentations, children’s activities, and more.

Tickets for this rain-or-shine event, including a new VIP offering and CBMM Fall Festival Passes, are on sale now here, with discounted pricing for CBMM members.

Whether you prefer to sip, savor, or slurp Chesapeake Bay oysters, you’ll appreciate this beloved fall festival with oyster offerings from the Talbot Watermen Association and several local oyster farms, including raw and cooked options.

Guests 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.

The oyster slurp-off contest is always a highlight of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s OysterFest. (Photo by Sharon Thorpe)

The always-popular oyster stew competition gives guests the chance to sample offerings from area restaurants in an OysterFest mug and then vote for their favorites 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, including a performance by local sibling trio The Folk Villains, to add to the festive atmosphere.

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. In addition to their auditorium presentation, the Pocomokes will offer demonstrations throughout the day to share their history and traditions with guests near CBMM’s Shipyard.

Representatives from the American Chesapeake Club and their pups will be on hand to highlight Maryland’s official dog, the Chesapeake Bay retriever.

CBMM will also debut a new theater space on Navy Point, showcasing a selection from its library of historic and documentary films that includes the works of the celebrated environmental filmmakers Tom Horton, Dave Harp, and Sandy Cannon-Brown.

OysterFest programming, including presentations, demos, and performances from the Pocomoke Indian Nation, The Folk Villains, 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.

Children can explore life on the Bay through a range of themed, hands-on activities, including lawn games, model boat building, and more. The Phillips Wharf Fishmobile traveling aquarium will be on site, too.

The OysterFest on-the-water offerings include free, drop-in cruises aboard CBMM’s floating fleet vessels. (Photo courtesy Lloyd Devigne)

Guests have a variety of ways to get out on the water at OysterFest, including free, drop-in cruises aboard CBMM’s floating fleet vessels. Patriot Cruises will offer a Narrated Historical Cruise on the Miles River at 12:30pm with combo tickets that include OysterFest admission and the cruise available.

CBMM is thrilled to welcome a pair of visiting tall ships to join in the fun. AJ Meerwald, a restored oyster dredging schooner that is New Jersey’s official tall ship, is offering free dockside tours from 10am-3pm and a ticketed public sail at 4pm, while Lady Maryland, a full-scale reproduction of a traditional 19th century Chesapeake Bay cargo schooner called a pungy, will be available for free deck tours during the festival before offering a ticketed sunset sail at 5pm.

Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase commemorative OysterFest gear in the Museum Store, showcasing this year’s featured historic oyster tin from CBMM’s collection. The one-gallon tin, featuring a silhouetted sailboat underway, was packed by Harrison & Jarboe Seafood Company in the 1950s on CBMM’s Navy Point and marketed as Miles River Brand Oysters. The design will be emblazoned on shirts and hats for purchase, as well as the mugs used for the oyster stew competition and the VIP tote bags.

This year, OysterFest is generously sponsored by PNC Bank and What’s Up Media.

OysterFest shares fun for all ages, including model boat building and more for children. (Photo by Sharon Thorpe)

OysterFest tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door. 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.

CBMM members receive discounted pricing to OysterFest and other annual festivals celebrating the best of the Bay throughout the year. Adult member tickets are $10, and all children of members (17-and-younger) receive free admission. CBMM members at the Family & Friends level and above can also receive the $10 discounted admission for two additional adult guests.

To level up the fun, 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, an exclusive OysterFest tote bag with a list of vendor specials, and discounts at the festival bars. The cost is $50 for CBMM members and $80 for non-members.

The CBMM Fall Festival Pass offers entry to three upcoming signature festivals, including OysterFest, the Holiday Edition of the Eastern Shore Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival (Saturday, Nov. 22), and Winter on the Chesapeake (Saturday, Dec. 13). The cost is $20 for CBMM members and $44 for non-members.

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.

During the festival, additional free 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.