From Pumpkins to Pints: Mixing Halloween Fun with Chicago's Bar Crawl Culture

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Leave it to the city of Chicago to take the concept of “bar hopping” to a new level of fun and transform it into a bona fide cultural event.

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The term “pub crawl” is believed to have originated in the U.K. in the early 20th century and describes the activity of a group of friends going from pub to pub for festive drinking and merrymaking.

But in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the American Midwest, it became the “bar crawl” and was enhanced with a festive theme. In the case of Chicago, what better occasion than Halloween when folks could adopt an alter ego, don exotic costumes, and fan out to a favorite city borough for the sensational fun of bar crawling?

It’s a Cultural Event

Over about a decade, Chicago’s Halloween bar crawl has evolved to become a legitimate cultural event that might be compared to Mexico’s Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) and with shades of Marti Gras in New Orleans.

It helps that Chicago is known for its vibrant nightlife and plethora of bars and clubs in many sections of the city, including historic neighborhoods with traditional establishments dripping with a sense of history and urban romance.

It’s why the Chicago Bar Crawl now attracts tourists from around the nation and the world. Halloween has always been about candy for the kids, but the Chicago crawl captures that youthful sense of delight for grownups who just want a night to cut loose and have a blast.

Guided Halloween & Beer Tours

The Windy City’s Halloween Bar Crawl has grown so popular that folks can now buy tickets for a professionally managed guided tour. Some of the most popular include:

* Chicago’s River North Bar Crawl

* Wicker Park Tour

* Logan Square Tour

* Lakeview Tour

* Loop and South Loop Beer Tour

* Haunted Evening Chicago Bar Tour

The advantage of a guided tour (especially for non-native Chicagoans) is a professional escort or host (most often in costume) that will take crawlers to all the best locations without the struggle of finding one’s way in a new city.

Tours also offer other kinds of perks, such as beer tasting and food sampling, which are often included in the price of a ticket. Hotel pick-up and drop-off are convenient and resolve the designated driver issue.

Bar crawls are organized in several ways. Some follow a pre-determined route on which participants visit a specific list of bars, pubs or breweries. Others are more flexible and spontaneous. The latter allows crawlers to choose where they want to go from a list of well-vetted locations. Some tour prices include the cost of a drink at each stop, while others leave payment to the customer’s choice and judgment.

Some venues charge for admission at the door. This may or may not be included in the ticket price, depending on the provider.

More Than Drinking

Keep in mind that a Halloween bar crawl in Chicago is a lot more than knocking back a few pints in a series of bars. There are also dance parties, costume contests, live bands, DJs, street performers, spontaneous parades, maybe fireworks effects, street parties to crash and food stands — expect the unexpected in Chicago on Halloween night!

Is a Costume Mandatory?

No! Getting festooned in an exotic costume is fun, but many people just want to wear comfortable clothing while they enjoy the ambiance and marvel at the many colorful outfits of others.

Remember that the average temperature in Chicago in late October is between 65°F and 47°F. Thus, one enjoying a Halloween evening in Chicago can expect ambient temps to be right around 50°F — but every day is different. It may pay to check the weather forecast a few days ahead of a planned visit. That way, you can wear something comfortable, be it a costume or regular street clothing.

Imaginative Fun in a Historic City

Remember that Chicago is among the world’s most cultured cities. Before or after the Halloween Bar Crawl experience, one can easily find lots of other activities to enjoy, from world-class shopping, stunning art museums and amazing restaurants to fabulous vistas of Lake Michigan.