The Brookings Pub Crawl returns this Saturday and many downtown bars are preparing for the event.
Kirsten Gjesdal, executive director of Downtown Brookings, said the annual event historically lands around the St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
“After SDSU shifted their academic calendar, the last few years of Pub Crawl have landed on the Saturday after students return from spring break,” Gjesdal said.
Gus Theodosopoulos, the owner of Cubby’s Sports Bar and Grill and Cubby’s general manager Jeremy Deutsch, have seen Pub Crawl change a lot through the years since the restaurant’s opening in 2000.
“Pub Crawl used to be an organized event through the beer companies,” Theodosopoulos said. “Teams would sign up at different bars and do a Pub Crawl. You would spend half an hour at a bar, a whistle would blow and you would move on.”
“In years past, you would buy T-shirts and mugs from the beer companies,” Theodosopoulos added. “You would carry it around with you from bar to bar. Until you reached your ‘home’ bar.”
“Nowadays it’s more of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration and is more of one big party instead of an organized event,” said Deutsch.
The 9 Bar & Nightclub next door to Cubby’s is opening at noon for Pub Crawl and is excited to host the all-day celebration. “
It’s a great day for the employees, and it’s fun to watch the students come out and party all day long… It’s like a Hobo Day in the spring,” Dominic Peters, The 9 Bar & Nightclub’s general manager said.
“We’re really excited to throw a party for everyone, that’s kinda just what we do, it’s a day we look forward to,” Peters said. “Being able to help people celebrate is where we find our joy as bartenders and bouncers.”
The 9 Bar will feature two rotating DJs throughout the day, along with St. Patrick’s Day-themed green beers. Additionally, there will be discounted deals on Irish-based shots and liquors. They also have limited-edition Pub Crawl shirts that are available for $20.
The Wild Hare also is participating in the celebration, hosting their own Beer Olympics, along with deals on green beers and Irish-themed drinks.
The Beer Olympics registration begins at noon on the outside patio, with the games starting at 1 p.m.
The Wild Hare & Bank Saloon bar managers Max “Bubba” Reinke, Colten Allen, and Dalton Heintz look forward to the event each year.
“I like seeing a lot of people that I don’t get to see all the time,” Reinke said. “The day brings out more than just the regular squads I’m used to seeing. I also enjoy the whole day aspect, it’s busy all day.”
The Wild Hare opens at 9 a.m. on Pub Crawl and will have a food truck stationed out front throughout the day. The Hare also has a large patio for outdoor seating and games.
“The Hare has an atmosphere that combines a bunch of different bars,” Allen said. “You can sit down during the day and relax, and at night we offer more of a nightclub experience. You can really get a little bit of everything from The Wild Hare.”
This year will also be the first Pub Crawl for the newly opened Bank Saloon.
“The Bank opened last year just in time for Hobo Day and business has been good ever since,” Reinke said.
“(At The Bank) we’re sticking with what we do well, interesting cocktails and drinks you can’t get at every other bar,” Allen said. “It doesn’t have the space of the Hare, but it will still be crowded and busy throughout the day.”
“The day will be very busy at every bar, and it’s important to tip your bartenders, be respectful at every bar, and most importantly have fun,” Heintz said.
Ray’s Corner, a historic bar in Downtown Brookings, also will be celebrating the event with their own special festivities. Lisa Steenson, the bar manager at Ray’s has seen 34 Pub Crawls since the time of the event’s origin.
“When it started, it was each bar had a team, and I thought that was a lot more fun,” Steenson said. “When the whistle would blow, and the team would leave, you had this short time to clean everything before the next team came in. It was fun to watch people.”
“Every year we put down woodchips, and people love that feeling because we’re an ag community, they’re also fun, easier to clean up,” Steenson said. “When they’re freshly put down, people will come in and have contests of how far they can slide across the floor and that’s always funny to watch.”
“I love the energy on that day, and everybody wants to have a good time… Ray’s has its own feel, it’s a ‘be nice or leave kinda thing’,” Steenson said. “It’s a great day for business, a great day for people to have fun, and the energy with the staff is awesome as well… people just love a good reason to celebrate, we probably all got a little Irish in us.”
“Please have fun and make memories but do it without damaging property. All of Downtown Brookings would appreciate it,” Gjesdal said.