Annapolis' Beloved April Fool's Day Pranks

From fake mayoral resignations to Market House McDonald's, Eye On Annapolis has a history of poking fun at the city's most persistent quirks.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:04pm

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Over the years, the local news site Eye On Annapolis has built a tradition of using April Fool's Day to poke fun at Annapolis' most pressing issues, from political drama and the never-ending Market House saga to the city's love-hate relationship with transportation and the environment. These stories have become a weird time capsule of the city's obsessions, capturing the local mood through absurd but often plausible-sounding pranks.

Why it matters

Annapolis' April Fool's Day stories at Eye On Annapolis have become a beloved local tradition, not just for the jokes themselves but for the way they reflect the city's unique quirks and preoccupations. These stories offer a humorous yet insightful window into the issues that truly captivate the Annapolis community.

The details

Over the years, Eye On Annapolis has targeted a range of Annapolis hot-button issues with its April Fool's Day pranks. In 2009, the site published a fake story about then-Mayor Ellen Moyer resigning, complete with an emergency council hearing and succession talk. In the following years, the site turned its attention to the perpetual headache of the Market House, with stories about McDonald's taking over the historic building or a 'glitch' in the latest lease plan. The site has also poked fun at Annapolis' transportation woes, proposing a $75 daily congestion fee for downtown, and its tug-of-war between environmental politics and marine culture, with a fake plan to ban gas and diesel boats from the city's waters.

  • Eye On Annapolis has published its April Fool's Day pranks annually since 2009.
  • The site's most recent prank was planned for 2026 but had to be scrapped due to FEMA funding for City Dock.

The players

Eye On Annapolis

A local news website that has built a tradition of publishing humorous, insightful April Fool's Day stories about issues and quirks unique to the Annapolis community.

Ellen Moyer

The former mayor of Annapolis whose fake resignation was the subject of one of Eye On Annapolis' early April Fool's Day pranks.

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What they’re saying

“Sometimes the only sane response to Annapolis is to laugh at it a little.”

— Eye On Annapolis

What’s next

Eye On Annapolis promises there will be plenty more fodder for April Fool's Day pranks in 2027, so Annapolis residents should be on the lookout for the site's next round of humorous and insightful local satire.

The takeaway

Eye On Annapolis' April Fool's Day stories have become a beloved local tradition, not just for their humor but for the way they capture the unique quirks and preoccupations of the Annapolis community. These pranks offer a lighthearted yet insightful window into the issues that truly captivate the city.