Tammy Davis of Chesapeake Beach was the winner of the annual National Oyster Cook-Off. Photo by Dick Myers

Leonardtown, MD – Governor Larry Hogan was on hand to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival, now known as the U.S. Oyster Festival. Before Sunday’s finals of the U.S. National Oyster Shucking Competition, Hogan, presented a proclamation to organizers, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park and in turn received tokens of appreciation from the club. Hogan shared that he was better at eating oysters than shucking them.

Floridian Honor Allen, 22, proved he was better than anyone else at the two-day competition by defeating last year’s champion, Duke Landry, and then finishing ahead of the Women’s Champion Annie Bonifacio for the honor to represent the United States at the International Oyster Opening Championship next year in Galway, Ireland. Landry stood beside Allen during the awards ceremony and graciously said Allen was the best man on the stage.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, Tammy Davis of Chesapeake Beach was the grand prize winner in the 37th Annual National Oyster Cook-Off with her recipe for Coconut Curry Soup. Two other Southern Marylanders came in second place in their respective divisions – Ellynne Brice Davis of Leonardtown for her Oysters-by-the-Bay Bisque and Debbie Reynolds of Waldorf for her Eggs Benedict on Oyster Muffins.

The annual event is a massive volunteer effort on the part of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park and other civic organizations who help to work the various food booths. Saturday on the main stage, two Rotarians who have been instrumental in the past successes of the festival were honored – David Taylor and Larry Branthoover.

Then Sunday, Taylor recognized the Honorable Judge James Kenney, who has been in attendance at all 50 festivals. In addition during Sunday events, the new mascot of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station Museum, Oscar, was introduced.

Throughout the festival, King Oyster Bob Merritts, immediate past club president, could be seen wandering around his domain, the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds. 

Of course King Oyster was ruling over a domain that was filled with oysters of every type and description – wild and farm-raised raw oysters and fried, steamed, scalded oysters and in stew and fritters. Of course,for true beef/seafood lovers, there were other types of food available. For bivalve epicures, samples of the cooks’ creations were available to taste during the National Oyster-Cook-Off.

Proceeds from the Oyster Festival go to the charitable efforts of many St. Mary’s County organizations.

Please take a look at the Photo Gallery with photos by Ron Bailey and Dick Myers

Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com