Every town has little oddities, traditions and fun attractions that give regions across America a splash of charm and unique culture that makes them a fun place to live.
So, what does the Chesapeake area have that locals look forward to every year and you won’t find anywhere else? Find out here as we get weird in Annapolis.
Oyster Roast & Sock Burning
Every year in March since the 1970s, the people of Annapolis gather at the Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park for a fun oyster roast to celebrate the end of winter with some traditional Chesapeake Bay cuisine. Oh, and they burn their socks while they’re at it.
The tradition began with Annapolis boat makers and sailors who shed their winter socks and burned them as a symbol of the start of boating season.
Since then, it has grown into a community-wide bonfire where people bring their socks, eat unlimited oysters, enjoy live music, have an oyster shucking contest and participate in various family-friendly activities.
Annapolis Cup Croquet Match
The United States Naval Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the country, training the next generation of American sailors. But if there’s one weakness in the midshipmen’s rigorous training, it’s their croquet game.
Since 1983, the Navy Midshipmen have squared off against another local college, St. Johns, for a friendly game of croquet in The Annapolis Cup.
The event is rumored to have begun after a commander of the Naval Academy told a freshman at St. Johns that the Midshipmen could beat the “Johnnies” at any sport. The student asked if that applied to croquet, and the game was born.
Despite that alleged bold assertion from the commandant, the Johnnies have captured 32 victories in 41 games, and The Annapolis Cup serves as a friendly competition focused on sportsmanship and camaraderie between area schools.
Maritime Republic of Eastport .05K Bridge Run
You’ll be hard pressed to find a more grueling test of endurance and aerobic capacity than this .05K run, with a single water station located on the course.
The event’s own website, however, disagrees with such an assertion, and quotes Runner’s World Magazine, which described the .05K as “the least challenging athletic event ever conceived,” as the course covers a whopping 164 feet.
Runners take their mark on the Annapolis side of the Spa Creek Bridge that connects downtown Annapolis to the community of Eastport.
This tradition dates back to 1998 and local jokes about “aggression” by Annapolis city officials and a need for succession between the two communities over the temporary closing of the bridge for maintenance.
It also serves as a fundraising opportunity for charity collected by the Maritime Republic of Eastport.
The “war” between Eastport and Annapolis led to the formation of another fun event between the two “nations” called “The TUG,” the longest international tug-of-war event over water in the world, according to the Maritime Republic of Eastport.
Great Annapolis Pumpkins
Annapolis loves Halloween, which means there’s plenty of pumpkins around in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
But the pumpkins you’ll find scattered around Annapolis are a touch bigger than your average pumpkin.
Several hundred pounds larger.
Each year, the Downtown Annapolis Partnership purchases several gigantic pumpkins to be put on display and eventually carved by local professionals in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
The carvings are done to outfit the pumpkins with fun, interesting designs for photo ops to celebrate spooky season.
Weird, Wacky, & Unusual History of Annapolis Tour
Would this list be complete without a tour of all the other weird history in Annapolis?
Anyone can learn about the unique history of Annapolis via a colonial guide detailing stories including a Russian sailor buried in the Annapolis National Cemetery, a missing cornerstone of the State House, historic “mobile homes” and more.
