Baltimore, MD - More than 400 people are expected to attend the 2014 Mermaid's Kiss Oyster Fest at the National Aquarium in Baltimore on Thursday, October 2. Ten area restaurants, including Spike Gjerde's Woodberry Kitchen and Brian Voltaggio's Volt, will serve signature dishes at the event. The fresh seafood for these delicious tastings will be donated by Profish Ltd. Seven oyster farms will serve their 2014 line-ups at Baltimore's largest raw bar, where the Foreman Wolf restaurant group will pair wines with the raw oysters.

Catering services have been provided by The Classic Catering People.

Participating restaurants:
Alewife - Baltimore
Clydes, Tower Oak Lodge - Rockville
Factor's Row - Baltimore
Factor's Row - Baltimore
Grilled Oyster Company - Potomac
Hyatt, Chesapeake Bay - Cambridge
Level, a Small Plates Lounge - Annapolis
Pure Wine Café - Ellicott City
Volt - Baltimore
Woodberry Kitchen - Baltimore

Participating Oyster Farms:
Barren Island Oysters
Bay Hundred Seafood
Chesapeake Gold Oysters
Choptank Oyster Company
Hollywood Oyster Company
Madhouse Oyster Company
True Chesapeake Oyster Company

Since 1994, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, with its coalition of partners, has planted more than 5.2 billion oysters in the Chesapeake Bay, rebuilt 1,600 acres of sanctuary oyster reefs, and recycled more than 45,000 bushels of oyster shells.

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot will help present oyster restoration awards at a brief program at 7:45 pm. Awardees:
• Mount View Middle School, Marriottsville, Howard County

• Fager's Island Restaurant, Ocean City

• Anne Arundel County Recycling Division

Tickets are still available for the event. Visit www.mermaidskiss.org for tickets and more information.

Contact: Sarah Walker
W: 410-990-4970, C: 202-288-2040, swalker@oysterrecovery.org