The streets of Chippewa were electrified this past Saturday as Buffalo celebrated its eighth annual “Boozin Bar Crawl.” From 1 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 12 local bars granted free entry during a six hour window, ranging from student favorites such as Venu and Soho to Oakk Haus and The Cowboy.
Adding competitive edge, the first 1000 participants that visited each bar were eligible to receive a free T-shirt, encouraging bar-hoppers to move swiftly throughout the six-hour window.
Students like Kani Shain believe the crawl is more than a night out, but an opportunity to connect with each other.
“You’re free to let go and socialize with people you recognize but never get the chance to connect with,” Shain, a senior business administration major, said.
Alexa Pallone, a sophomore accounting major, agrees. She compares students’ attitudes on campus to those at the crawl, saying that people are much more open during the event.
“On campus, people are kind of like locked in with headphones just trying to get from point A to B,” Pallone said. “But here, you’re there to meet people. You’re there to have a good time.”
The crawl’s appeal extends even beyond UB, with Pallone saying that she saw attendees from her hometown in Syracuse.
But with large crowds, there comes the dreaded inevitability: congested lines and cramped bars.
“It’s hard too because of how packed and how long the lines were,” Macaria Johnson, an international trade senior, said. “There were more people waiting in line than in the bars.”
Chippewa’s Boozin Bar Crawl has become this popular, however, for a reason. The environment of the event guarantees a fun break and an opportunity to make some new friends. So, next Halloween, dress up and head to Chippewa.
The features desk can be reached at features@ubspectrum.com.
Photo: Courtesy of Aryan Vali Baharvandi
