KALAMAZOO — Come one, come all, come as you aren't to Bell's Brewery's 13th annual Eccentric Day.

Not that 2011 actually commemorates 13 years of Eccentric Day, but it sure sounds good when attached to an event that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to begin with.

“Every year we say that it’s the 13th annual, and it’s been that way for a long time,” said Laura Bell, Bell’s head of marketing.

Each year patrons and staff alike celebrate by wearing outlandish costumes, eating delicious oddities and, of course, by quaffing libations both ordinary and extraordinary.

For the most part, Eccentric Day is a festival of nonsense and creativity but one rule is hard and fast: Come in costume or don’t come at all.

“There is no cover but you have to be dressed up to get in,” Bell said. “You do have to make an effort.”

But good luck upstaging some of the costumes patrons have donned in the past.

“Every year there is this group of guys that come dressed as the same theme. Last year they were the captains; we had Cap’n Crunch, Captain America, Captain Kangaroo and Captain Morgan. All the captains were there, which was pretty fun,” Bell said.

If you go

Bell’s Eccentric Day

What:

Party to celebrate eccentricities, including unusual outfits, food, beer

Where:

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave.

When:

9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday

Cost:

No cover, but must be dressed up to enter

Contact:

269-382-2332,

Eccentric Day has become such a well-known event, it even draws to shore those who dwell beneath the sea.

“One year, we had King Neptune,” Bell said. “There was this really big old guy who came shirtless with like a mermaid thing on and a big trident staff and a Santa hat; that was pretty awesome.”

Despite coming alone, he had enough fun for an entire party.

“He danced on a table for a while. We don’t encourage that, there’s no table dancing,” Bell said.

Attendees may not be allowed to bust a move on the furniture, but eventgoers are encouraged to sample a few of the 34 beers on tap.

Besides standbys such as Porter and Best Brown, Bell’s also will be offering a couple of different specialty stouts, a whiskey barrel-aged rye ale, a firkin of Double Cream Stout and of course, Eccentric Ale, which will be tapped at 9 a.m.

And if you need some odd edibles to go with your beer, Bell’s has you covered in that area, too. Last year, baby octopi were served.

“We’ll have throughout the day, eccentric food, weird cheeses, exotic meats and soups,” Bell said.

Bell’s also will be offering the eccentric DJ stylings of WIDR-FM’s Richard Bowser, who will hit the stage sometime in the late afternoon.

With drinking, dancing, munching and music on the agenda, Bell is anticipating this year’s Eccentric Day will be every bit as exciting as those preceding it.

Bell herself will be at the party dressed head-to-toe in fur.

“My alter ego this year is I’m going as a ‘polar beer.’ I’ve always wanted to wear all fur, and this year it came together.It’s kind of disgusting,” she said with a laugh.

Having fun and being who, or what, you aren’t is what makes Eccentric Day such a cherished annual event.

“Dig down into who you really want to be; into that part of your soul that’s hiding,” Bell said.

“You have to bring it out.”