On a perfect Monday, July 20, more than 200 men grew out their best facial hair and embraced their inner shark to attack some of Rockaway’s best watering holes in a tradition that goes back 20 years—the Mustache Bash. And for this twentieth anniversary, the men rode with a very special guy in mind, the late, great Patrick Brady.
In 2006, 22 guys, including Pat Brady, started an annual event entailing growing out a mustache, hopping on a bike and pedaling through Rockaway on one epic pub crawl, hitting multiple local bars. On Monday, those Charter Members gathered once again for the 20th Annual Mustache Bash. The only one missing, of course, was Firefighter Pat Brady, who died in the line of duty on November 8, 2025, while battling a fire in Brooklyn. However, his spirit was felt throughout the event and carried on by a total of 225 mustached men who wore matching shirts with Brady’s spirit animal, a shark, on the front, and the iconic, cheeky motto “Free Mustache Rides. Ladies Only” on the back.
While Brady couldn’t be there, his own bicycle, with a mustache on the front and an American flag on the back, was a huge part of the event. Pat Brady’s brother, Brian Brady, had the honor of riding the legendary bike. At several stops, Brady’s bike was placed at the forefront, and the men paused to sing “God Bless America” and the National Anthem, while facing it.
The event kicked off at Pilot House with kegs and eggs and continued to scheduled stops like Bungalow Bar, Connolly’s, Adrienne’s, Healy’s, Bar 97, Rogers, The Wharf, Callie’s and Jamesons, and some seemingly unscheduled stops like the new Rockaway Beach Pickleball and Golf spot, where the guys paused for a few rounds of pickleball. Of course, the crawl entailed other shenanigans like karaoke at The Wharf, lifting each other through the rafters of the Bungalow Bar (a personal favorite activity of Brady’s), and other things only the brave men who made it through the day will remember, or forgot already. The journey ended in front of Brady’s family home.
This year’s event was organized by Chris McGuinness and Jay Perrone. As the guys typically ride for a good cause, this year’s charity was a no brainer—The Patrick Brady Foundation. And boy, did these guys pull through. They raised a total of $10,000 for the foundation, which will help support more good causes, continuing to carry on Brady’s legacy.
