Annual Tug-Of-War Pits Eastport Against Downtown Annapolis This Weekend

EASTPORT, MD — The Eastport versus downtown Annapolis tug-of-war returns this Saturday "at the crack o' noon."

The annual tug pits the two neighborhoods against each other every fall in a light-hearted battle for bragging rights.

The rivalry gets serious before the big day. The MRE marches to City Hall beforehand to declare war, a tug-of-war that is.

Tuggers then line up on either side of Spa Creek and yank at a 1,600-foot rope draped over the waterway. The rope weighs 800 pounds and takes eight people to set up. The event is nicknamed the "Slaughter Across The Water."

The Eastport team gathers at the end of Second Street. Team Annapolis meets in Susan Campbell Park at the end of City Dock.

The party runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Eastport side with live music, food trucks and vendors.

Here's the live music schedule:

10:00 to 10:30: Priddy Music Academy
10:30 to 11:00: Naptown Sings & Plays
11:00 to 11:45: D’Vibe & Conga
11:45 to 1:15: Naptown Brass Band
1:15 to 2:00: Eastport Oyster Boys
2:15 to 3:00: A Classic Case
3:15 to 4:00: All You Need
4:15 to 5:00: Area 301

Maritime Republic Of Eastport History

Residents of the town's Eastport neighborhood have carved out their own identity over the years. "Eastportericans" or "Eastporters," as they call themselves, often feel more attached to Eastport than the greater City of Annapolis.

A few decades ago, some Eastportericans even jokingly "seceded" from Annapolis and declared themselves an independent country. They dubbed themselves the Maritime Republic of Eastport.

The micronation, also known as the MRE, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. In its quarter-century, the nonprofit has grown some of the city's strongest traditions and fundraised for charity through its annual bridge run in the spring and tug-of-war in the fall.

The MRE was founded in 1998 after routine maintenance shut down the Spa Creek Bridge, which is the only crossing between downtown Annapolis and the Eastport peninsula. Visitors could still access Eastport, but they had to drive around Spa Creek.

Eastport leaders worried about the community's economy during the temporary bridge closure. They jokingly called it an "unprovoked act of aggression" and formed the MRE in response.

The group started planning events to draw visitors to Eastport. That's when the bridge run and the tug-of-war were born.

The bridge run has also blossomed into a booming production.

The course is just a few hundred feet across the drawbridge, but the MRE dresses it up like a full-fledged marathon.

The organization fires a cannon to start the race. A pacer car leads the pack, and there's a watering hole in the middle for breaks from the rigorous sprint.

The race is officially dubbed The 0.05K Bridge Run. True runners are quick to point out that the bridge is not 0.05 km long, but the name is based on good fun and not a true distance or a real measurement.

More information is posted at themre.org. Attendees can also follow the MRE on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

To learn more about the MRE's history, read Patch's feature story on the group.

Related: Maritime Republic Of Eastport Celebrates 25 Years Of Tradition