GTM Research Reserve: Shuck Yeah!

On Friday, September 18, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve hosts the annual Shuck Yeah! I Love Estuaries Oyster Roast and Low Country Boil. 

The Evening's Activities

Celebrate National Estuaries Week with seafood, live music, games, and coastal fun. John Bachman is the emcee for the evening, and Sea Level provides the music as you sip, dine, dance, and perhaps learn a bit about estuaries. 

Start your meal off with fresh oysters from Get Shuckin'. Dine on a low-country boil feast, and enjoy spirits, wines, and beer from local distributors. Watch the sunset over the spectacular estuary, and spend the evening celebrating this rare and protected ecosystem. 

This fundraising event kicks off Estuary Fest, a free one-day event on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

Event Details

Admission: $125.00 for members and $175.00 for non-members. Purchase tickets on the GTM Research Reserve's website.

When: From 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., on Friday, September 18, 2026

Where: At the GTM Research Reserve, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082

About GTM Research Reserve

GTM Research Reserve is one of 29 national estuarine research reserves in the U.S., devoted to protecting the natural biodiversity and cultural resources within the nation's estuaries as well as providing educational programs and conducting research.

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve is a protected stretch of land consisting of wetlands and estuaries on Florida's East Coast that actively works to maintain and help preserve the natural landscape of Florida. The GTMNERRs volunteers and employees are dedicated to preserving this unspoiled, undeveloped natural treasure and to supporting a vibrant ecosystem and its subsystems.