Stache Crawl to return to Dewey Beach July 10

The coolest, quirkiest, and mustachiest bar crawl will be back at 1 p.m., Saturday, July 10, in  Dewey Beach, hosted by the Starboard Restaurant, which serves as home base for this annual fundraiser.

This year marks the 15th Annual Stache Crawl, and the big return of the physical bar crawl through Dewey Beach, as last year’s was mostly virtual due to COVID-19. The Stache Crawl benefits the KJP Foundation, which was founded in memory of Kellen Poultney, who was a source of goodness for all the people he touched during his short life.

“We are gradually getting back to our normal volume of crawlers and sponsors. Through the pandemic, we were able to use our funds for some families who did not have the technology to support virtual learning, in addition to our usual school supplies and many other causes supported through KJP,” said Connie Poultney, Kellen’s mom.

Now, with the event being fully back in person, she is looking forward to helping more families.

Steve “Monty” Montgomery, owner of The Starboard, cannot wait to welcome back this very special event. “We missed being able to host events like this. We are in full swing for summer again, and it feels amazing to be able to see the familiar faces of the Poultney family and friends, and have this event again,” he said.

The joyful day brings out a ton of people in their official Stache Crawl T-shirts, and donning mustaches, some of which have been grown specifically for the occasion, and some that are fake and fabulous. The event is sponsored by Michelob Ultra, and over 10 establishments in Dewey participate, with specials for the Crawlers. The Best Stache contest with multiple categories and prizes will be at the Starboard between 1 and 4 p.m. The contest is run through its social media outlets by submitting pictures using the hashtags #StacheCrawl on Facebook, #StacheCrawlDe on Instagram.

Chad Minix, Kellen’s lifelong friend and organizer of the event, said that seeing everyone in the mustaches, having a great time, brings an instant smile to his face every year, and is a great way to honor Kellen’s life. "We are so excited to be back this year! It's a much-needed opportunity to bring together friends and friendly faces for a good cause. Many of whom haven't seen each other for a long time,” he said.

Raising money for the KJP Foundation and creating new memories that include a tribute to Kellen are sustaining parts of the process for Kellen’s family and friends. There is so much happiness in the event itself, as it is innately creative and fosters an air of playfulness that is heartwarming. Those elements are exactly what the Starboard is all about: bringing people together for a great cause while seizing all the fun. Proceeds from the Stache Crawl will go directly to the KJP Foundation, which is a charity with a specific focus on educating local children and supporting local families.

For more information on this truly awesome event, go to the Facebook event page.

Minix and the Poultney family are looking forward to another year of camaraderie and celebration, and hope to see everyone there!