86 year old Sarah Hammond Stokes has been named captain of the 2025 Urbanna Oyster Festival. A Middlesex County native, Stokes won the Virginia female oyster shucking championship in 1983, captured the overall national title, and placed third at the international contest in Ireland. Festival organizers praised her for trailblazing Virginia women in the sport and celebrating the region’s oyster heritage. The 68th annual festival is scheduled for November 7-8 in downtown Urbanna.
