Oysters, Crafts, Live Music and Kids' Games Planned at Oyster Festival

From a news release:

Food from top caterers, live music, and vendors with bay-themed items for sale will all be part of the fall Oyster Festival at the Captain Avery Museum.

The celebration runs from 12:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the museum, 1418 E.W. Shady Side Road.

The Oyster Festival menu features fried oysters, oyster stew, and oysters on the half shell, crab cakes and crab soup, plus hot dogs, beer, wine and sodas. A new item this year will be oyster shooters.

Food vendors include the Chesapeake GRILLE and deli, Deale Umai Sushi House, Skipper’s Pier, George’s Bloody Mary Mix and Finlandia Vodka. From the Museum, there will be shuckers providing raw oysters, and the Avery Cafe will sell home-baked cookies, pies, and cakes.

Live music will include performances by Tim and Savannah Finch of the Eastman String Band; and Janie Meneely with original songs about the Bay; Andy Garte and Gary Harmon of the Coastal Flats; and the country/blue grass/gospel songs of local favorites, the Shady Side Sour Notes.

Included in the children’s activities are live crab races, face painting, kite making, fish hat making, sailboat races and a scavenger hunt.

Crafters will also be on hand with products such as jewelry made from old car parts, driftwood sailboats, reproductions of historical maps, handmade cards and crafts and hand-painted oyster and crab Christmas ornaments.

One of the unique fund-raising elements of the event is the “Choose It and Use It” program where the public can purchase one of the dozens of donated parties, events, handmade items or museum services.

Topping off the afternoon will be the drawing of the winner of the $5,000 raffle sponsored by the museum. Tickets, which are $5, will be for sale at the festival or from local merchants. Purchasers need not be present to win.

Admission to the Oyster Festival is $6; $2 for children 12 and under.

Parking will be available at the nearby Shady Side ball fields with free shuttle service. There will also be a large amount of overflow parking. Handicapped parking will available at the museum.

For more information, call 410-867-4486 or visit www.captainaverymuseum.org.