Your Oyster Festival Champions Warm Up for the National Contest While they Shuck Your Oysters

The Oyster Festival contestants practice their shucking skills as they open oysters for the St. Mary's Optimist Club Raw Oyster Bar. Contestants may be found sharpening their skills in Building 2 on both Saturday and Sunday morning prior to the start of the shucking contest. Stop by and pick up some pointers from the pros. Recent winners are shown in the panel to the right as they warm up for the 2003 National Oyster Shucking Contest.

Your Dedicated Oyster Festival Volunteers

An event the size of the St. Mary's Oyster Festival generates many tens of  thousand dollars for the participating local service clubs. These clubs each use Oyster Festival proceeds to support worthy charitable and educational causes in our Southern Maryland communities. Dollars spent on service club provided food at the Oyster Festival benefits those in need of assistance. None of this would be possible if it were not for the unsung army of volunteers who turn out annually to serve you a bit of Southern Maryland hospitality. The panel below  salutes all those who selflessly volunteer their labor to this most worthwhile cause. We only regret that we can only highlight but a few of these very special people.  (Pictures below)

	In grateful appreciation of all who give freely of their time and talents each year!