WEST OCEAN CITY -- The Greene Turtle in West Ocean City this Sunday will host its 10th Annual Oyster Shucking Contest with the Worcester County Humane Society set as the beneficiary of the event.

The annual oyster shucking contest gets underway on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Greene Turtle on Route 611 in West Ocean City and will conclude around 4 p.m. The contest features oyster shuckers from various restaurants and bars in the area competing in three-minute heats with the winners of individual heats advancing to the finals.

Last year, Tom Creveling of Harrison’s Harbor Watch repeated as champion, shucking 62 oysters in the three-minute final round to top Harbor Watch manager Jeb Vetock, also a former champion. Creveling, who shucked more than 60 oysters in each of his three-minute heats including the final last year, will be back to defend his title and seek a third straight on Sunday.

For the last nine years, some of the best oyster shuckers on the Eastern Shore have gathered for the annual event for a celebration of all things oyster. The contest draws hundreds of oyster fans and typically, thousands of icy, salty raw oysters are shucked and consumed, all in the name of a local charity, the Worcester County Humane Society.

While the shucking and consumption of thousands of raw oysters is the centerpiece, the annual event has something for everyone including oyster stew, munchies, beer specials and raffles and a DJ, all against the backdrop of a Sunday celebration for a good cause. The event is scheduled for this Sunday, March 25, at the Greene Turtle West from 1-4 p.m.