There’s nothing worse than marching a group of thirsty bar crawlers into a venue where the staff is already overwhelmed. To avoid this, call ahead and let the bars know you’ll be arriving, ideally several days in advance.
A party theme is a great way to encourage participation and keep the event on track. However, planning too rigidly may prevent you from seizing unexpected opportunities during the crawl.
Set Your Goals
One of the most important steps in launching a bar crawl is to determine your objectives. Whether you want to attract new patrons, increase sales for a specific night or boost your establishment’s profile in the community, setting clear goals will help guide your planning process and provide benchmarks for success.
Once you’ve established your goals, share them with the members of your organizing team so everyone is on the same page and motivated to make the event a success. This will also help you keep your expectations in check and ensure that the final result lives up to what you’re striving for.
To avoid confusion and to give participants a sense of direction, create an itinerary for the crawl in advance. This should include the order of bars, an example being to try The Dolly Blue Bar, that attendees must visit, and a rough timeline for each stop. Also, be sure to call ahead to each location to ensure they’re open, willing and able to accommodate a large group and that they’ll have enough staff on hand for the duration of the crawl.
Plan to promote the crawl on social media, at your existing pubs and clubs and through local event websites and calendars. Recruit regulars and friends to spread the word about your event, and consider implementing a ticket price discount for groups of 10 or more to encourage greater participation.
Adding a theme to the crawl can add another layer of fun and excitement for participants. Choose a theme that will complement your target audience and make it easy for people to get into the spirit, such as an 80s-themed bar crawl where you encourage people to dress up in their best throwback gear and play classic 80s music throughout the evening.
Don’t forget to add a few stops that will serve food, or offer food delivery services, to encourage people to pace their drinking and take a break from alcohol. It’s also a good idea to plan for a food truck or late-night fast food joint as the final stop on the crawl, to help people sober up and to lure any stragglers who may be still awake at last call.
Pick an Engaging Theme
Choosing an engaging theme for your bar crawl will set it apart from other events and draw in more participants. Some popular themes include a holiday-themed pub crawl, an 80s-inspired bar crawl, or a haunted house bar crawl. Theme-based bar crawls can also offer unique discounts and experiences for participants, such as special boozy beverages or a spooky scavenger hunt.
Once you have a clear idea of the theme for your event, begin planning out the route and timing. You’ll need to contact each participating bar to let them know that a group of drinkers will be stopping by, and make sure they can accommodate a large group of people. You can also create a detailed itinerary for the event and distribute it to attendees, which will help them stay on track throughout the night.
To make the night even more fun, consider creating a themed photo booth at each stop, complete with props. This will give participants a unique memento from the night and will encourage them to share photos on social media. A hashtag for the crawl can also be helpful, especially for millennials who have documented more of their lives on social media than any other generation.
Another way to enhance the experience is by promoting unique t-shirts or bar crawl merchandise, such as stickers and pins, in advance of the event. These items can be sold at each participating bar and can feature your organization’s branding or the crawl’s theme. You can also ask a local photographer to take photos of the crowd throughout the night, and then send them to participants via email to provide them with a fun memento from the night.
The most important aspect of organizing a successful bar crawl is ensuring participants’ safety. Make sure that everyone is of legal drinking age, and establish guidelines that require crawlers to limit their alcohol consumption. Also, appoint yourself or a trusted staff member to walk the crawl periodically to make sure everyone is celebrating responsibly and that no one is overindulging in alcohol. You can also provide a map with all participating bars marked, and make sure to list the phone numbers for bus services and taxi companies so that crawlers have a safe ride home after the event.
Plan the Route and Transportation Carefully
Getting the most out of your bar crawl is going to take some work, and that starts with meticulous planning. Taking the time to consider how you want your event to play out will help you avoid costly mistakes that can hurt your business.
Having clear objectives in mind also allows you to develop an effective marketing strategy and attract a more diverse audience. For instance, you may use a marketing campaign to highlight the unique ambiance and drinks offered at your establishment, or to encourage participants to share their experience on social media.
You’ll also need to research the venues on your list to make sure they are open and willing to accommodate a large group on your chosen date. Additionally, you’ll need to create a map of your planned route and recruit designated drivers to ensure everyone gets home safely at the end of the night.
Bar crawls are a great way to meet new people and experience the local beer scene. But it’s important to remember that these events can lead to excessive alcohol consumption and bar fights. To prevent this, you should monitor the crowds and step in if you notice someone misbehaving. It’s also important to remind your guests that it is against the law in many states to drink and drive, so you should offer a safe ride-sharing option or encourage them to stay at one venue until they feel confident they can get home safely.
In addition to ensuring the safety of your guests, it’s essential to plan out your route carefully so you don’t run out of bars before the end of the night. You can do this by creating a map of the bars on your list and making sure that all the locations are easily accessible to each other. It’s also a good idea to include food stops on the crawl so attendees can recharge between drinks.
Finally, it’s crucial to invest in small business insurance and obtain any necessary permits or licenses to operate your bar crawl business. This will protect you against lawsuits and other financial losses if the bar crawl goes south.
Ensure Participants’ Safety
If you’re hosting a bar crawl for your nonprofit organization, you’ll want to provide a safe and memorable experience for your supporters. This requires careful planning and attention to detail, starting with setting clear goals. Whether you’re looking to boost membership, increase donations or boost your community presence, the right strategy will set you up for success.
Selecting engaging themes, planning the route and transportation carefully, and ensuring participants’ safety are key to organizing a successful bar crawl. In addition, you’ll need to promote the event properly. This is crucial to attracting enough participants and creating buzz for the event. Ensure your marketing team has a comprehensive understanding of social media platforms so they can create an effective online campaign.
Make sure to choose a date that works for the majority of your audience. This will help you avoid scheduling conflicts and maximize attendance. If you can’t find a date that suits everyone, host multiple crawls on different days and offer those who didn’t attend the first time a chance to join in future events.
It’s easy to get swept up in the spirit of a bar crawl and start drinking faster than intended. To mitigate this, actively intersperse water or non-alcoholic beverages between alcoholic options and encourage your attendees to partake in available food. This will improve endurance, prevent hangovers and help keep your crawl running smoothly throughout the night.
Another way to promote the safety of your crawlers is by offering a safe ride home option at each stop. This will allow participants to focus on enjoying themselves, knowing they don’t have to worry about how they will get back to their homes.
One of the most memorable aspects of a bar crawl is the people you meet and socialize with along the way. Whether you’re meeting new friends or connecting with fellow volunteers, the ambiance of each bar sets the stage for varied social interactions. Encourage your participants to take photos and share them on social media with a unique hashtag for the event. This way, other supporters can see the fun you’re having and consider joining in future bar crawls.