So far away yet right around the corner!!!

Greetings Pub Crawlers-

I want to thank those of you that have been following and reading my blog.  I hope you have been able to gather some exciting information about Rich & Bennett's St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl.  If you have attended in the past I hope you will plan on coming again and if you have yet to experience the crawl my goal is that you will join us this year for what is shaping up to be the largest and best crawl ever.

As you sit by the pool, wade in the knee deep water at the ocean or lake I hope there is a small part in the back of your brain that is focused on this years St. Patrick's Day crawl.  In order to truly be prepared you must be thinking about the crawl year round.  I was talking with Rich the other day and he told me that he fields questions about the crawl each week.  Whether it be a new bar wanting information on how to be a part of the madness, someone new to Charlotte that has heard that they "have to go on the crawl" or a bride to be planning her bachelorette party around the event...people are always preparing.  Bennett has told me that he knows of people that have planned their wedding around the crawl, military personal that have timed their personal leave from Afghanistan in order to keep their attendance streak alive and even some families planning to have kids at just the right time so they can experience the crawl and then have a baby 9 month later in order to never miss the crawl.

Now the reason I tell you all of this is so that you can start planning.  Get it on your calendar, tell your friends and family and encourage those that have never been to seriously consider being part of history!!!

SATURDAY, MARCH 17TH, 2012

In your planning I want you and your friends to consider ways to enhance the crawl.  Now Rich and Bennett will take care of alot of that but there is always room for improvement on your part.  I have identified a few ways to really pump up your party.

1. Find a group and make a commitment to one another to have an amazing time with NO drama

2. Plot a course and conquer as much of the crawl as possible

3. Bring something new to the crawl ( I have listed a few novel ideas below)

• Necklace of Bavarian pretzels (kills hunger and soaks up the booze)
• Costumes (leprechauns, beer maidens and masks of all kinds)
• Accessorize (add some flair, bling and bedazzling and I promise a better time!!!)
• Create an inside competition, joke or challenge (Rich & Bennett have been passing around a magical cape to the Pub Crawler they think is having the best time, more about the Cape in a later blog)

So, as the heat of summer continues to beat you down, know that March is just around the corner. The World's Largest Pub Crawl is going to be there waiting to cool you down and fulfill your needs and desires.

I look forward to seeing you on the streets!!

St. Patrick

PS - Do you think you have what it takes to earn the Cape?

St. Pat's Story

Greetings Pub Crawlers-

Who am I?  I am St. Patrick, master of the four leaf clover, guardian of the pot of gold and King of Rich & Bennett's St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl.  I am a simple leprechaun named after the religious legend Saint Patrick.  Twelve years ago Rich & Bennett approached me about helping them get a fledgling pub crawl off the ground.  I remember like it was yesterday.  We were at Connolly's and Rich asked me if I would be willing to sit down with he and Bennett and listen to their proposal.  They wanted we to be the face of their March 17th pub crawl.  At the time I thought, well, I am a Saint, I love to party and March 17th is one of my favorite days.  I thought for a few minutes....Okay, I'll do it!

There was only one major hurdle to clear.  I was a wanted leprechaun in Mobile, Alabama.  Yes, its true, I had moved to Charlotte to escape the law that had been breathing down my wee little neck for the last few months.  Check out this video of the residence of Alabama and their quest to find me. 

In order to host the pub crawl I was going to have to sneak out of Mobile with my pot of gold and safely make it back to Charlotte in order to help Rich & Bennett.  Mission accomplished!!!  I am lucky enough to have cleared my name (actually bought off the cops with my pot of gold!!), settled in Charlotte full time, an served as host of the Worlds Largest Pub Crawl for the last 11 years.  The city is amazing and Rich & Bennett have really been able to enhance the pub crawl each and every year.  I work hard for one day and spend the rest of the year having a blast throughout the streets of Charlotte.

As I said, I like to party and hope you will be able to join me this year on Saturday, March 17th, 2012!!!

Sincerely,

St. Patrick

A Lesson in Sharing

Greetings Pub Crawlers-

I have heard that anything you ever really need to know you probably learned in kindergarten.  Well today I want to share with you a lesson about sharing.  The city of Charlotte, NC is home to Rich & Bennett's St Patrick's Day Pub Crawl every March.  The boys and their droves of crawlers take over the Uptown area and claim it as their own personal alcohol playground.  Just because they stake claim to Charlotte doesn't mean they can't share.  If you are in Charlotte this weekend please plan on roaming the Uptown area, not as a pub crawler but rather a food crawler.  Share the streets in the name of FUN!!!

I spoke with both Rich and Bennett and they encouraged me to share the streets of Uptown and experience The Taste of Charlotte.  This is the Taste's 13th year as an event (sadly 1 more than R&B) and a must experience for Charlotteans and visitors alike.  If you are not going to be walking the street all day searching for a day buzz you might as well fill your stomach with some of the best food Charlotte has to offer.  Much like the World's Largest Pub Crawl you are able to spend a little time at each location, have a sample and then move on to experience more of what Charlotte has to offer.  They do serve beer so this can easily count as a "practice" event for St. Pats!!!

Check it out - http://www.tasteofcharlotte.com/



Enjoy the weekend....See you in March!!!

St. Patrick

Let's Go To The Video Tape!!

Greetings Pub Crawlers-

I could tell you about The World's Largest Pub Crawl until I am green in the face but I thought you might like to see for yourself.  Rich & Bennett have been lucky enough to have the Travel Channel's Extreme follow them for a segment two years ago.  The have also had the staff at Red Leaf films document the last two pub crawls.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

This is footage from 2009...

Here they are again in 2010

And once more in 2011

And if you still need help preparing for the crawl look to the youngest Bennett for some advice

I hope you enjoy the videos!!

St. Patrick

What is a Pub Crawl? How do I survive?

Greetings Pub Crawlers-

For someone that has participated in numerous pub crawls the concept seems simple.  Not everyone understands what a pub crawl is?  I have a good idea of what to expect and some knowledge of how to prepare.  As Rich & Bennett's St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl grows each year they continually ask me to help make sure all pub crawlers, especially first timers, survive the event.  He are my ideas for what a pub crawl is and some tips for survival.

A pub crawl is something that must be taken very serious.  It is full day of drinking designed to get you drunk!  The goal is to stop at each of the designated locations, drink and proceed to the next stop.  If done well you will have a blast, get drunk, meet new people and survive to tell the tale.

If you fail to prepare and pace appropriately you are doomed for failure.  Let's start out by taking a macro look at the event.  This past year Rich and Bennett partnered with over 25 bars for the St. Pat crawl.  The ultimate goal would be to make it to every bar and have at least one drink per bar!!!  WOW!!!!  Now in year one the boys were able to easily do this with only 7 stops.  Today the challenge is tough to do and not highly recommended.  There are however some drinkers that have what it take to get the ultimate task completed.  Several keys to making to all 25+ bars (or as many as you can) would be as follows:

Keys to Success
1. Good Night Sleep
2. Breakfast (Bojangles works wonders)
3. Start early (check-in is at 1:00...be there)
4. Slow and steady wins nothing, fast and steady keeps you on track!!!
5. Eat (Traditional dinner time will feel like 2:30 am, Do what you would do after a night on the town, eat)
6. Make it until last call (do whatever you need to do, Red Bull, coffee or a ride on the mechanical bull)
7. Cab it home and celebrate with a pillow sandwich!!!!!


So when you break it down, the goal is to drink all day at as many stops as you can and survive to tell the tale.  As I have said before you will need to practice all year long in order to complete Rich & Bennett's 12th annual St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl: The World's Largest Pub Crawl on Saturday March 17, 2012 in Charlotte, NC.  Think about it, would you just sign up for the New York City Marathon without any practice?

I look forward to seeing you all throughout the year at "practice events".

St. Patrick

The Pub Crawl T-shirt

Greetings Crawlers-

Today I would like to take a moment to pay some attention to a very important part of Rich & Bennett's St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl...the t-shirt.  The Worlds Largest Pub Crawl has a different commemorative t-shirt each year for every crawler.  The crawl t-shirts have been several different colors; white, yellow, orange and the most famous green.  Each year the shirt has a different design that is created to embrace the theme of that years crawl.

I would love some feedback on what color you think this year's t-shirt should be and any idea designs for the 12th annual shirt.

Take a look at some shirts from previous years:

2011 (front & back)


2010 (men's and women's)


2009 (different sizes)


2008 (not water proof)


2007 (accessorized)



Keep practicing..I'll see you on March 17th,

St. Patrick

Charlotte....a St. Patricks Day destination city!!!

Greetings Crawlers-

There is no reason why Charlotte, NC can't be a worldwide destination city for St. Patrick Day.  Charlotte is the 2nd largest banking city in the US (behind NY and just ahead on San Fran), we have a great Uptown area, professional sports teams, are growing arts district and of course the Worlds Largest Pub Crawl!!!

I did some internet sleuthing and founds several list of top cities to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in.  Charlotte was nowhere on the lists.  This got me thinking....how could Charlotte become a destination city for St. Patrick's Day?  The other cities one the list have larger populations, more history and an international reputation.  In order to become a top St. Pat's city we would have alot of work to do over several decades.  So I started thinking about plan B.  What if we used Rich & Bennett's annual pub crawl to spur on the growth and celebration in Charlotte?  It can be done and it should be done!!!

In order for Charlotte, NC to become a destination city for St. Patrick's Day the pub crawl must continue to grow at a rapid pace.  This year Rich & Bennett will be hosting their 12th annual St. Patrick's Day pub crawl on Saturday March 17th (actual St. Patties Day!!) and I hope you will be there and bring a friend or two, or twenty!!

LET'S MAKE CHARLOTTE A ST. PATRICK'S DAY DESTINATION CITY!!!!!!




Keep practicing and I'll see you on the 17th,

St. Patrick

 
PS - Keep up on the crawl details at www.rockhouseevents.com