Bar crawl will make bar hopping safe and easy

SIKESTON -- In an effort to limit congested highways of drinking drivers and to help St. Jude's children, four North Scott County bars have decided to have a first for the area this weekend -- a bar crawl.

Local bar owners hope area residents will come along for the ride for the North Scott County Halloween Pub Shuttle.

"We know how people like to hop around from bar to bar," said Perry Reese, owner of Boondocks bar. "If they go somewhere and nothing's going on, they'll go to the next place. With the bar crawl, they can have fun without worrying about it."

The fun begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at Boondocks bar in Morley.

In 30 minute intervals, the bus will make stops at Schindler's Tavern in New Hamburg, Kelso Country Club in Kelso, The Corner Bar and Grill in Benton and start the cycle again, with a total of three or four rounds at each bar.

"It's nice to go to several different bars and have a designated driver so you don't have to drive," said bar local Chris D. Seyer, who plans to ride the shuttle Saturday.

The initial idea of the pub shuttle came from mere bartender-customer conversation. Schindler's Tavern owner Jason Grojean was talking with a customer one day about new ways to broaden the area bar's notoriety when she suggested a bar crawl.

Grojean then discussed the idea with The Corner Bar and Grill owner Trevor Michael. "We think it's a good idea. Of course, everyone must be 21 and drink responsibly," he said.

Michael and Grojean then asked Reese and Kelso's bar owner Jason Owens to join the event.

"All of us bar owners get along real well, and we thought it would be fun for our customers," Reese said.

Even though the first pick up begins at Boondocks, participants don't have to start there, the bar owners assured.

"They can start wherever they want and stay at a bar however long they want," Michael said. "If they want to stay somewhere two hours and catch another bus, that's fine."

Bar crawlers will turn into pumpkins at midnight and all owners encourage participants to drink responsibly and have designated drivers on hand Saturday.

"I think this is a good thing," Seyer said about the shuttle. "Maybe it will catch on in the community."

Every bar will have a costume contest so visitors are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, prizes will be given away and music will be at all bars. Cost is $5 for an arm band that will allow people to ride the bus. Proceeds from admission will be donated to St. Jude's Childhood Research Center.

"We want notification of the bars," Grojean said. "We're all located within a few miles of each other. Between the four of us, one always has an event going on. I'm excited, and I think it'll be a lot of fun."