A man from Massachusetts and a woman from Waldorf were the winners of the two signature competitions at the 47th Annual St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival Saturday and Sunday at the fairgrounds.
Chopper Young from Massachusetts was winner of the National Oyster Shucking Championship and will represent the United States at the International Oyster Opening Championship next year in Ireland. He bested the woman’s champion Cathy Milliken of North Carolina with a time of one minute and 52 seconds to shuck two dozen oysters.
In Saturday’s National Oyster Cookoff Debbie Reynolds of Waldorf was selected the grand champion for her dish “Oysters and Chipotle Grits.” Robert Johnson of the Seventh District of St. Mary’s won the People’s Choice Award for his Merchant Mariner Oyster Rockefeller Chowder. During the cookoff, samples of the dishes were provided to the event spectators.
As with many fall events in Southern Maryland, the weekend had a split personality, with drizzle dampening Saturday’s activities but with the sun breaking out into a near perfect day on Sunday.
For attendees who couldn’t break away from weekend football, a sports bar was set up in one of the fair buildings with two TVs and plenty of beer to go along with that Redskins win.
The weekend was filled with entertainment in the pavilion, auditorium and show ring. Performing were the St. Mary’s County Jazz Combo, C.Bass and Rockfish, Pond Scum, Daughters of Veda, Hamm-It-Ups, Horn’s Punch and Judy Show, Eastern Tradition, Sam Grow Band, GeeZer, Joe Norris, Southern Maryland Sound Barbershop Quartet and Reggie Rice. Gary Rue and the Dance Hall Ghost entertained for the Oyster Shucking Championship.
And of course the food, especially oysters, was the raison d’etre. You could find them raw, scalded, grilled, fried and in stew. And for people not quite so inclined there was funnel cake, hamburgers, stuffed ham, cotton candy, etc.
The annual event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lexington Park and proceeds go to area charities.
