“Say goodbye to winter, only deck shoes we wear! Though the socks we burn leave a stink in the air!” So reads the poem recited each year as hundreds of Annapolitans and visitors gather around a waterfront bonfire at the Annapolis Maritime Museum to burn their smelliest, winter-worn socks and enjoy all things oyster.
After a hiatus during the pandemic, the Annapolis Oyster Roast & Sock Burning is back to celebrate the maritime culture of the Annapolis community and all things Chesapeake Bay. Join them on Saturday, March 19th from 12:00-4:00 PM as they burn their socks during the spring equinox. Tickets are on sale now for both General Admission and People’s Choice at www.amaritime.org. Enjoy all-you-can-eat oysters, oyster shucking contests, family activities, and live music by the Eastport Oyster Boys and Naptown Brass Band. Beverages and other food will be available onsite for purchase. All of this takes place on the Museum’s waterfront campus overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, including complimentary boat rides and skipjack tours.
The sock burning tradition was started in the late 1970’s by local Eastport shipwrights who were fed-up with the winter weather. After an exceptionally cold, snowy season, a small group gathered to celebrate the coming of spring by burning their old socks and promising to forgo sock wearing until the cold weather returned.
Guests throwing old socks into the bonfire at the 2018 Annual Oyster Roast & Sock Burning in Annapolis, MD. Photo credit: Ken Tom Photography
Today, this quirky Annapolis tradition lives on at the Annapolis Maritime Museum at the Annual Oyster Roast & Sock Burning, where guests can take part in this decades-long tradition that welcomes both the spring and the Annapolis boating season.
“There is nothing more authentic and unique to Annapolis than the ritual of burning socks, started right here in Annapolis,” said Alice Estrada, President/CEO of the Museum. “This beloved event brings the community together and raises funds for our important environmental education programs, which serve over 12,000 students annually.”
Burn your socks my friend, the winter is done,
Tis time for boating, crabbing, and fun.
It might be better if the socks were washed first, but that’s just me. Purchase tickets and learn more about this event here: www.amaritime.org
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