Capital Oyster Society: Inaugural Oyster Social & Tasting

Capital Oyster Society: Inaugural Oyster Social & Tasting 🦪

* FREE TO ATTEND | OPTIONAL $26 GUIDED OYSTER TASTING*

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Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 6:00 PM
Kelly's Oyster House & Bar | Fairfax, VA

Welcome to our first Capital Oyster Society social!

We're officially getting together! Join us for the inaugural Capital Oyster Society social at Kelly's Oyster House & Bar in Fairfax for an evening of oysters, conversation, and meeting fellow oyster lovers from across the DMV.

The social is FREE to attend. We simply ask everyone who plans to join us to register for a free Social RSVP so we can provide Kelly's with an accurate headcount and make sure the restaurant is prepared for our group.  Space is limited—please RSVP only if you plan to attend. If your plans change, please cancel your RSVP so another guest can join us.

Kelly's has extended its happy hour to 8:30 PM for our group!

For those who want to take the experience a little deeper, Kelly's has created a special guided 8-oyster tasting exclusively for our group, available as an optional prepaid add-on.

🦪 Optional Guided Oyster Tasting — $26

Kelly's will lead us through a tasting designed to explore how oysters change as we travel from the Chesapeake up the Atlantic Coast to Canada.

The tasting includes 8 oysters: two different Chesapeake oysters; Rip Tide from Massachusetts; two Maine oysters, including Jack's Point; Matunuck Pond from Rhode Island; Sunberry Point from Canada; and an Oyster Gratinée—broiled with candied bacon, spinach, and hollandaise.

Kelly's owner will guide us through the tasting while sharing a little about the story behind Kelly's, oyster bars, oysters, and what to look for as you taste.

The $26 tasting ticket includes the complete 8-oyster guided tasting, applicable taxes, 20% gratuity, and ticketing/processing costs.

The tasting is optional. You are absolutely welcome to attend the social without purchasing it and order oysters, food, and drinks directly from Kelly's instead.

🥂 What to Expect

Kelly's has extended its happy hour to 8:30 PM for our group!

We'll kick things off at 6:00 PM with arrivals, introductions, and a little Oyster Bingo to get everyone mingling.

Around 6:45 PM, we'll welcome everyone to Capital Oyster Society and turn things over to Kelly's for the guided oyster tasting.

Afterward, the social continues! Stay, order more oysters, food or drinks, and get to know other members of the Society.

Kelly's is setting up the evening reception-style with high-top tables, with seating available for anyone who prefers it.

Whether you've eaten hundreds of oysters or you're still figuring out the difference between briny and buttery, you belong at the table.

🎟️ Choose Your RSVP

FREE — Capital Oyster Society Social RSVP
Coming to socialize and ordering on your own? Choose this ticket. There is no charge to attend. Your RSVP helps us give Kelly's an accurate total guest count.

$26 — Social RSVP + Guided 8-Oyster Tasting
Choose this ticket if you'd like to participate in Kelly's special guided tasting. This ticket also serves as your RSVP to the social—you do NOT need to reserve a separate free ticket.  Guided tasting guests will receive a wristband at check-in. Please keep it on through the tasting.

Cancellation 

Please note: Because Kelly's will be preparing oysters specifically for the number of registered guests, tasting tickets are non-refundable within 72 hours of the event. If you're unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another guest.

Raw oyster notice: Consuming raw or undercooked shellfish may increase your risk of foodborne illness, particularly if you have certain medical conditions.