OysterFest Shuck-Off

Have you ever seen someone shuck 24 oysters in under two minutes? Cape Cod’s famous Oyster Shuck-Off at the Wellfleet OysterFest boasts the real-deal showdown. Here, shucking is fierce competition, as men and women hunker down and shuck like they never have before to win a pot of cash and perhaps even secure themselves a place at the U.S. Oyster Shucking Competition.

Contestants are given 24 oysters to rip apart at the seams. But speed isn’t the only crucial element — aesthetic presentation counts, too. Controversial rulings have been known to fire up the crowd of thousands, as devastating time penalties are added for broken shells, massacred oysters, and blood from slashed fingers.

Last year in 2024, Canadian Chris Manocchio furiously captured first place, shucking 24 oysters in just 1 minute 57 seconds (adjusted time after penalties 2:13). In 2025, Chris defended his win as a first-place shucker with an adjusted time of 2:42.

WHO:
28 of the fastest oyster shuckers in North America, including Wellfleet commercial fishermen and chefs from restaurants, such as the Union Oyster House in Boston.

WHAT:
The Shuck-Off is hosted annually at the Wellfleet OysterFest, produced by the Wellfleet Oyster Alliance

WHERE:
Stage behind Town Hall, 300 Main Street in Wellfleet, MA (less than two hours from Boston).

WHEN:
This year’s 25th Annual OysterFest will take place on Saturday, October 18th, and Sunday, October 19th, from 1-3 PM. Saturday is the preliminaries and Sunday is the finals.

WHY:
The winner earns a $3,000 cash prize and qualifies to compete in the National U.S. Oyster Shucking Championship Contest. Second place wins $1,500, and third place wins $500.

For media inquiries, please email operationsmanager@wellfleetoa.org if you are interested in sending a camera to capture this electrifying contest and the OysterFest’s “hometown flavor, big time fun.”