White Out Wednesday
Wharf Pub and Restaurant brings back its White Party for a 9th year
By: Liz Hilfrank
It’s a Wednesday night in the middle of August, a double hump day, and you want to celebrate. Lucky for you, so does The Wharf Pub and Restaurant. To satisfy this mid-week craving, The Wharf will bring back its White Party to Main Street, Edgartown, Wednesday, August 10.
“We picked Wednesday because it’s not the beginning of the week, but everyone already goes out on Fridays and Saturdays,” said Wharf general manager Kraig Mundt. “It’s always the first full week of August when the college kids are still here, and there’s a large crowd of people aged 21-35.”
Mundt is one of the original minds behind the production. Nine years ago, he and two bar backs were talking and decided they wanted to host an event. Frequent beachgoers themselves, the crew wanted an opportunity to bring the oceanfront crowds into The Wharf. So, they played off of Puff Daddy’s New York formal parties and created one of their own. It was a success to say the least, as bar backs have come and gone, but the party has remained. It thrives off of people’s desire to dress up and to pretend to be celebrities, if only for a few hours.
“It’s more formal than anything,” said Mundt. “Men wear suits and women like to dress up in really nice white dresses.”
Walk into the Wharf on August 10 at 10:00 p.m., and you can expect to see a room full of people in head-to-toe white, glowing under rows upon rows of black lights with a layer of fog wrapping around their ankles. These decorations remain consistent from years past and there will be no new additions this year, as the focus is on you and your white. This year, Mundt especially aims to go for the less-is-more appeal and wants to let the white tell the story.
This event is so much fun that DJ Dour from Brooklyn was not asked by The Wharf, but asked The Wharf himself, if he could come back for a second year. DJ Dour will bring the high-speed city lifestyle to the laid-back island scene, playing all the great dancing tunes.
Sponsoring the event for a third year is Tito’s Homemade Vodka, so expect to see some signature cocktails from them, too. While on that note, it should be mentioned that if you pick up a drink that appears to be glowing, that’s normal; it’s all part of the party.
This event is sure to be one for the books. Thriving off of word of mouth alone, people faithfully return every year. When asked his favorite part of the party, Mundt couldn’t pick just one.
“I like seeing all the white, even the bartenders are in white,” said Mundt. “I like all the dancing, and it’s really good music. Everything is just good and fun.”
For only a five-dollar cover fee, you can experience the world class party event of the summer. With three bars open and the entirety of the restaurant converted for dancing, you will wonder how you seem to have left the Vineyard without boarding a boat. So, go conquer the hump and enjoy a night under the black-lit stars at The Wharf’s White Party.
