Massive events have been popping up at colleges across the nation and taking cities by storm – but they’re not football games, tailgates, or homecoming parades. They’re bar crawls.
Traditionally, bar crawls have been a popular activity where usually small groups of people (such as friend groups or work colleagues) visit many bars in a single day to enjoy drinks and many unique social atmospheres. Fueled by the rise of social media, bar crawls began to gain immense popularity In the early 2010s – especially among young adults and college students. They were often organized around specific themes, such as Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, or ugly sweater Christmas parties.
Bar crawls have continued to grow in popularity, with popular local bars often teaming up to throw these events in major cities. And no wonder – a bar crawl means a large influx of people, often during daytime hours. Many bars across the country have found bar crawls to be a solid stream of extra revenue.
But what about college?
If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that college students love to drink. With four gleaming years free from the burdens of adult life, that’s exactly what they do. With flexible schedules and nothing to do, it’s no surprise that bar crawls have really caught on at colleges across the country.
Why they’ve caught on
Crawls give students from all backgrounds a chance to get together in a laid back setting to drink, party and make new friends. Most college students have a few favorite bars in town and spend the majority of their time at just a couple of places. But when participating in a bar crawl, students are forced to try out new spots as they go from bar to bar. Many find a new favorite bar that they’d never have gone to otherwise.
Another account for their rising popularity is the community factor. In order to participate in most college bar crawls, you must purchase a t-shirt. These shirts add an element of community and are often signed by friends (or strangers) and kept for years after the event as a souvenir.
The future of bar crawls
Bar crawls are only growing in popularity and played a part in reviving the party scene in many college towns after COVID forced bars to shut down for long periods of time. With the world being more online than ever, the fun of bar crawls will keep spreading.
Have you ever been to a bar crawl?