For the past few weeks we've been sharing the news that our Rehoboth Beach brewpub & brewery Tasting Room will be closing early this Saturday for our annual co-worker Post-Holiday Hootenanany. Say what?! What could possibly be so important that we completely close both the pub & brewery on the busiest day of the week?

Well, it all started back in 1995. We'd been open a mere six months by the time the holiday season rolled around, but we had to have a holiday party! I wish I could tell you all about that first Dogfish Head Holiday Party - but I can't. That whole part of Dogfish history is a blur of hard work, fun, late nights, long days - oh, and at that point I still had a job somewhere else during the normal work week. Anyway, I do know that for the first few years Sam & I had the company holiday party at our house - and it was fun (a mess the next day, but worth it).

Over the years, our co-worker ranks have grown. We opened the brewery. Added to the team. We quickly outgrew our house. For a good number of years, we closed the pub, brought in a caterer & guest bartender and hosted the party there. But that still felt a little like work, cause we were at work. We took the party off-site. We moved the Hootenanny to January. We organized enough to ensure all our sales folks could get to Delaware for the festivities. We had a great few years at other local restaurants in Rehoboth. Until we outgrew their spaces too :(

Last year, we thought jeez - with all our coworkers (and their plus one!), we need a banquet hall. Which made us all shudder a bit. Until, we decided to embrace the 'function space' idea and throw an '80s Prom! Until last year, we'd never had a themed party. Not sure why, because we certainly love any excuse to dress the part. Sometimes we don't even need an excuse.

Anyway, of course everyone did the '80s thing in their own way ... we had punk, we had preppy, we had Madonna, we had gel, we had flounce, we even had co-workers in baby PJs (because they were actually babies in the '80s!). Here's a glimpse ...

He got me a corsage!

Big hair, don't care.

Watch out for Teen Wolf!

An '80s mashup.

Fresh.

Madonna all around.

We danced, of course.

Brewpub Prom King & Queen!

So when your co-workers go all out - how do you top that? We'll see ... This Saturday is our second-ever themed Hootenanny. We're transforming a local joint into a 1920s Speakeasy. Wanna crash? You can't - you need the password to get in. We'll be bringing it with all sorts of 1920s fashion & style.

So, we're really sorry if you are in town to visit and we can't accommodate. We will be open on Saturday until 3 p.m. at both the Rehoboth pub and the Milton Tasting Room. We'll also be back at the brewpub on Sunday at noon (for all the other crazy, off-centered folk in town for the annual Polar Bear Plunge). We'll see you then - and please forgive any errant gangster gear or flapper fringe.