KC Confidential.com

It’s official…

The formerly sleepy suburb of Waldo is now home to two of Kansas City’s premier party events and has all but taken over a third.

Five years ago Chris Lewellen had an idea; resurrect a once-wildly popular local concept – pub crawling – in the little known corner of the Cowtown called Waldo. Lewellen and brother Andy had taken over the space of Michael Forbes Grill near 75th and Wornall Road, and were successfully mining the new, younger generation of Kansas Citians who had been drawn to the resurgent-but-still-affordable midtown ‘hood.

So it was that five years ago this past spring, Chris unleashed the first ever Waldo Crawldo, a five bar extravaganza that drew upwards of 1,500 people. And in its fifth year, last Saturday, approximately 4,000 Cowtowners made their way to the fall varient, known as the Falldo Crawldo.

“Oh dude, it was the biggest one ever,” Andy Lewellen says. “The biggest one ever. It was huge. Everybody had a line to get in.”

“Everybody” has grown to include 15 Waldo area bars now – most within walking distance – with party bus transportation to the 85th and Wornall establishments.

“Each year t gets bigger and bigger,” Andy says. “I mean, we’re the biggest pub crawl in Kansas City by far.”

Can anybody even think of the second biggest? I can’t.

The reason for the event’s success?

“Well, because this area is an area you can walk around on foot, it has great bars and restaurantsm zero crime and a neighborhood atmosphere,” Andy says. “And it’s not like the Power & Light District where they don’t care about you – we do care about our customers. if there ever is an issue, we address it. We see them as people, not as dollar bills.”

And although the Lewellen’s club Lew’s was the hub and inspiration for the event, pretty much all of Waldo has been on the receiving end of the financial benefits.

So for the record who’s idea was it?

“My brother Chris,” Andy says. “He’s the one that started it and organized it – nobody else – it was all him. Every single place in Waldo has their two best nights of the year during the Waldo Crawldo and Falldo Crawldo. And ever since Lew’s started putting up the big tents on St. Patrick’s Day, that’s become the third best night.”