28 Oct Starboard’s Famous Closing Weekend
Tradition is a tenet of Dewey Beach and its entire way of life and no establishment in the small, but ruckus, beach town is more “Dewey” than The Starboard. For more than 50 years, at the end of every season, The Starboard hosts its Famous Closing Party to celebrate the end of the summer. In the beginning, it signaled the actual shuttering of the town, until people returned in the summer season, and the restaurant officially re-opened.
Now, times may have changed, but tradition still reigns supreme. The Starboard now downsizes to their Shark Tank in the winter months, but remains open for their local patrons all year long. However, Closing Weekend is an event that it still very much alive, and highly anticipated.
Keith “Toastie” Kirk, Manager at The Starboard explains, “Closing weekend is a tradition here at The Starboard that’s always sacred to the locals and staff. While these days we stay open year round with the Shark Tank, we still have tons of summer folks and die-hard regulars that love Closing Weekend. It’s tough to not carry on the tradition, even though it confuses some people. How do we close, but still stay open?!”
It’s simple: The Starboard continues to carve their own way of life that rolls with the times and maintains the foundations of their brand. The vibe of Closing Weekend is one that is heady and celebratory. It brings the larger crowd out for that final “hurrah” before we enter the winter months, and coming together for a good time is something that owner, Steve “Monty” Montgomery, and his staff love the most.
This year’s line up for entertainment is amazing. The weekend kicks off on Friday November 5th when The Amish Outlaws take the stage at 9:30PM and on Saturday, November 6th, Bryen O’boyle with Just the Tip begins at 9:30PM. As always, the entire weekend is happening free of charge, as the Starboard never charges a cover—ever!
If you’re new to town, and don’t quite understand the significance of Closing Weekend yet, it’s okay, just give it some time. Kirk says, “It doesn’t make sense to the new transplants, but I promise you, someday you’ll understand!” Come on out and crash a cup of your favorite libation at The Starboard on November 5th and 6th and see what the tradition is all about!
And if you’re a local yokel, who’s sticking around all year, well, we’ll see you at the Shark Tank!