West River Heritage Day Oyster Festival

A full slate of entertainers, artists, authors, craftsmen and food vendors will be on hand at the eighth annual West River Heritage Day Oyster Festival from 12:30 until 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 15, at the Captain Salem Avery House Museum, 1418 E. W. Shady Side Road, sponsored by the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society.

The day will also mark the grand opening of the Museum's new pier where the oyster gardens will be in full operation with demonstrations.

Musicians will provide entertainment throughout the day including Janie Meneely, Dan Wilson, Ship's Company Chanteymen, the Shady Side Sour Notes, and the Good Deale Bluegrass Shop Band. Pam Offer will be on hand with her famous crab cakes and Whitman Catering will have their oyster stew, among other food items. Craftsmen and authors and the Museum Shop will have displays and items for purchase. Games and crafts will take place in the children's activity corner, with face painting, harvest crafts, oyster culling and tonging games, pound need croquet and pumpkin decorating.

A new feature this year will be a silent auction. There will be many enticing items offered for bids.

Mrs. Avery's Tea tours will bring visitors to the kitchen where samples of the cakes and cookies typical of the 1870's will be served. Homemade desserts will be for sale on the porch where guests are invited to "sit a spell" and enjoy the view of the West River and festivities on the grounds.

Topping off the afternoon will be the drawing of the winner of the $10,000 raffle sponsored by the Society. Ten dollar tickets will be for sale at the Festival or in advance by calling 410-867-4486.

Admission to the West River Heritage Day Oyster Festival is $5. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Parking will be available at the nearby Shady Side ballfields with free shuttle service. There will be handicapped parking at the Museum.. For more information, call the Museum at 410-867-4486.

The event is one in a series of South County Fall Heritage Days events, made possible through a Four Rivers Heritage Area mini-grant. For more information on South County Fall Heritage Days, visit www.fourriversheritage.org. This program has been financed in part with State Funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, an instrumentality of the State of Maryland.

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