Burning of the Socks

Burning of the Socks

March 21, spring equinox

This pungent event takes place in Eastport, Maryland, on the day of the Vernal Equinox. Once a mere suburb of Annapolis, Eastport seceded when the bridge that connected them with the rest of the city was closed for repairs. Local residents reorganized themselves as the "Maritime Republic of Eastport," a little town with an independent spirit, a sense of humor, and a love of local tradition. The town's motto: "We like it this way."
The burning of the socks began in the mid-1970s when a man named Bob Turner, upon leaving his job at the boatyard on the first day of spring, decided to burn his socks in tribute to the coming warmer weather. When he later became the owner of the Annapolis Harbor Boatyard, he invited his employees to stay after work on the first day of spring, burn their socks, and drink a beer in honor of the occasion. Turner's personal custom caught on with others and became a local tradition. The Eastport Yacht Club now organizes the yearly event at which people drink beer, eat oysters, and burn socks, all in the name of driving away winter and welcoming spring.

CONTACTS:
Eastport Yacht Club
317 First St.
P.O. Box 3205
Annapolis, MD 21403
410-263-0415; fax: 410-216-9263
www.eastportyc.org
The Maritime Republic of Eastport
P.O. Box 3455
Eastport, MD 21403
410-990-9025; fax: 410-263-3434
www.themre.org
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