Downtown Jefferson City's seventh annual pub crawl - with a pirate theme this year - will be Feb. 4. The event is designed to hook people into patronizing downtown businesses.
"It's just our way of getting people out when it's cold" ... "getting them to set foot in places they haven't before," Downtown Association President Crystal Tellman said, adding this year's crawl will be the third she's chaired (or captained, in pirate-speak).
As in years prior, crawlers are encouraged to come dressed in attire that matches the theme.
"Everybody tries to do the costume contest," even if it's just a minimal effort - "from all out" to "people that literally just have a T-shirt" with a logo on it, Tellman said.
Crawlers can enter said costume contest by posting a picture of themselves in their pirate attire to Instagram with the hashtag #jcmopirate.
The costume contest isn't the only opportunity to win some treasure of sorts.
A punchcard can be picked up at check-in for the event or at any participating business along the way, Tellman said. Participants who get stamps from five or more participating bars and restaurants can turn in their card wherever they end the night.
The cards will then be collected, and there will be a drawing for first and second prize. The winners will be awarded gift certificates to participating bars and restaurants.
The crawl will also include a scavenger hunt. Three pirate flags will be hidden in different locations, and crawlers who find them will get a stamp on their punchcards, Tellman said.
The remaining cards will be put into another drawing bucket for the scavenger hunt award. All prize drawings will be held within a week after the crawl, Tellman said.
A new feature at this year's pub crawl will be a photo booth in the front of J. Pfenny's Sports Grill & Pub. People who get their picture taken will be able to get the photos a couple of days later for free.
In fact, crawlers won't need many pieces of eight on Feb. 4. "We don't charge anything for anything," Tellman said - besides what individual businesses charge for food and drinks, of course.
She didn't yet know the details of drink and food specials for the pub crawl, but Tellman did "anticipate seeing some rum specials," given establishments try to keep with the theme of the event.
Crawlers probably won't have to walk any planks, and won't have to walk as much in general, with two trolleys serving locations on a loop through downtown.
The trolleys should pick up at each stop every 15 minutes on the 30-minute route: the corner of Ash and High streets where Shrunken Head Tropic Lounge is located; two stops along High Street; Fountain Court Lounge at Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center; Sapphires Restaurant & Lounge at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and back to Ash Street.
The Downtown Association hosts fundraisers throughout the year, but events like the pub crawl are meant to centrally gather people centrally downtown, Tellman said.
Check-in spots for the pub crawl will be at J. Pfenny's and Shrunken Head from 6-8 p.m. People who check in will receive flyers for drink and food specials and a map of the trolley route.
The trolleys will run 7:30-11:30 p.m. Other participating businesses include Bones in the Alley, Gumbo Bottoms Ale House, O'Donoghue's Steaks & Seafood, High Street Pub, Capitol City Cork and Provisions, and Spectators Sports Bar & Grill.