St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay and legendary musician John Oates of Hall & Oates -- sporting his first mustache in 20 years -- today joined the American Mustache Institute and one hundred employees of the Culinaria – A Schnucks Market wearing mustaches to commemorate the third annual “Mustache Day” in St. Louis.

The “Mustache Day” commemoration was held at the new downtown St. Louis Culinaria in accordance with the American Mustache Institute’s annual Halloween charitable event ‘Stache Bash featuring Oates, to be held tonight at the Roberts Orpheum Theater benefiting St. Louis Challenger Baseball, a baseball league for children and adults with disabilities.

The Mayor's proclamation read:

WHEREAS, the great city of St. Louis is the home of the world’s largest mustache, the Gateway Arch; and

WHEREAS, the learned citizens of St. Louis have demonstrated a keen appreciation for a handsome mustache, realizing that that a well-fashioned lip sweater knows no bounds of race, creed or color; and

WHEREAS, since its incorporation in 1965, the St. Louis-based American Mustache Institute has, with good humor served as the ACLU of the Mustached American people, fighting to propagate the Mustached American lifestyle on an international stage; and

WHEREAS, American Mustache Institute will reunite music legend John Oates with his mustache at ‘Stache Bash 2009, a celebration of the mustache that benefits St. Louis Challenger Baseball, a local baseball league for children and adults with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the good people of Schnucks will recognize this great day by adorning mustaches throughout their store; and 

WHEREAS, AMI will be announcing at ‘Stache Bash the winner of the Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year Award, an honor on par with the Nobel Peace Prize and the Daytime Emmys in its prestige, scope and gravity, and

WHEREAS, it is my great pleasure to welcome everyone who has eagerly awaited “Mustache Day 2009” and congratulate those participating in ‘Stache Bash 2009 at the Orpheum Theater in downtown St. Louis, and I thank each and every one of you for your support of this worthy cause.

Now, therefore, I, Francis G. Slay, Mayor of the City of St. Louis, do hereby proclaim October 30, 2009, as:

“MUSTACHE DAY”
IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the City of St. Louis, this 30th day of October, A.D. 2009.