Love oysters? Thousands will be served at this York festival

Stewed. Nude. Fried. Oysters of all kinds (thousands of them) will be served this fall at the annual Oyster Festival.

The Oyster Festival is the longest-running special event of the York County Heritage Trust -- this is the 41st event.

Want to go? It's from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Trust's Agricultural & Industrial Museum, 217 W. Princess St., York.

It's free to enter, food is a la carte.

Aside from oysters, there will be steamed shrimp, homemade BBQ, creamy macaroni and cheese, apple fritters and cole slaw. Wash it down with beer, wine or soda. For the craft beer drinkers, Black Cap Brewing Company of Red Lion will be offering General Gates Porter, a recipe created especially for the York County Heritage Trust.

Don't forget dessert. Pick up something sweet at the Trust Auxiliary's bake sale.

Fun fact: According to a press release, the Trust is partnering with CCA Maryland's Living Reef Campaign, recycling the oyster shells used from the day so that they can be repurposed to help rebuild Maryland's oyster reefs. The shells will be used to create a CCA Maryland community-built living reef constructed of mesh bags filled with spat on shell oysters. These mesh bags create a stable, three-dimensional habitat that is conducive to the recruitment of juvenile oysters.

Get more information at yorkheritage.org.