OysterFest at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum celebrates some of the bay’s finest offerings.

The history and culture of Chesapeake Bay are intertwined with oysters, which have been a vital part of the ecosystem since the 1600s. The settlers of the time were amazed by the size and quantity of the mollusks and would gather them by hand or rake. Today, the industry has grown to include oyster aquaculture, which is the planting and cultivation of oysters rather than gathering them in the wild. The Chesapeake Bay Oyster Company is just one of the many companies that grow more than 10 million oysters each year. The annual Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s OysterFest, held in late October, is a celebration of everything oyster-related, from the people and boats that collect them to the culinary artisans who create new recipes with them. The event is a study in oyster overload, with attendees arriving by boat, car, and foot to enjoy their favorite recipes. The festival features oyster mac and cheese, Chesapeake Bay oyster chowder, oyster fritters, gumbo, and more. This year, there will be a new “oyster-stew crawl” for attendees to taste all the different local varieties. OysterFest is one of the museum’s biggest annual events, and attendees can make it a fun day for the whole family by checking out the museum’s floating fleet of classic boats, such as the 1909 dredger Old Point and the 1934 Hoopers Island Dovetail Martha, which were used for oystering. Visitors can also try their hand at tonging and nippering for oysters, with expert teachers on hand.

Like wine grapes and terroir, oysters develop a flavor based on their environment. They filter up to 1.3 gallons of water per hour and can be briny, sweet, buttery, and more.