Please join us to celebrate the Chesapeake Bay and its beloved oyster at DC on the Half Shell. This one-of-a-kind event is a unique experience featuring local Chesapeake Bay watermen and their oysters. Enjoy music, gourmet cuisine, cocktails, and the company of the region’s top philanthropists, legislative decision makers, and corporate and community leaders.
Together we will raise vital funds for CBF's education and restoration efforts. With your support, we will put nearly three million oysters on sanctuary reefs.
CBF is proud to honor Mars, Incorporated with the 2020 Conservationist of the Year Award. Their bold commitment of $1 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, three pillar-plan to achieve sustainability in one generation, deforestation-free policies, and long-standing commitment to restore the Chesapeake Bay distinguish them as true leaders in the industry. This dedication to corporate responsibility focuses on supporting a healthy planet, empowering people, and nourishing well-being.
Sponsorship opportunities are currently available. Download our sponsor packet or Contact Taryn Dwan at tdwan@cbf.org or call 443-482-2111 for more information.
2019 Event Recap
What a night! Our fourth annualDC on the Half Shell was a smashing success. Thank you to our generous sponsors, host Committee, and honorary committee, as well as all our guests for your support. More than 500 guests joined us to celebrate the Chesapeake Bay and honor Kaiser Permanente's commitment to environmental stewardship and healthy communities. See below for photos from the event.
The 2019 DC on the Half Shell raised more than $600,000 of vital funding that will help restore and protect our Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams. Thanks to your support, this year CBF will:
- Plant 30 million juvenile oysters on sanctuary reefs in Maryland and Virginia—once mature, each will filter up to 50 gallons of water a day!
- Inspire over 35,000 students and teachers through CBF’s award-winning environmental education programs.
- Advocate for science-based management of the Bay's fisheries, including oysters, menhaden, and blue crabs.
- Plant more than 20,000 trees across the watershed.
All 10,400 oyster shells shucked at the event were brought back to CBF's Maryland Oyster Restoration Center to be seeded with baby oysters and returned to sanctuary reefs in the Bay.
The health of the Chesapeake Bay's oyster population is critical for a restored Bay. In an exciting effort with a broad array of partners, CBF has set a collective goal of 10 billion new oysters in the Bay by 2025. Learn more about the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance.
