The Bar Belle: 3rd annual No Cover Walk!

Listen. Can you hear it? That buzz you’re hearing all over town is for the annual “Gettin’ Drunky in Kentucky” pub crawl your mama warned you about. (Mark your calendars: Saturday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m., Outlook Inn.) Many start, few finish this 12-bar stagger through the Highlands in the name of not paying cover charges. Here’s the story of how and why it began. As if you needed an excuse!

My friends and I started this pub crawl two years ago because one of us missed the annual St. Matthews Weasel Walk. Bummed by the idea of waiting another year for the event, we drank some beer, discussed our disdain for those Gettin’ Lucky in Kentucky T-shirts flooding Louisville at the time, drank some more beer, then birthed a plan for an event that would be twice as big as the Weasel but not as far-fetched as the Bambi. All the necessary ingredients that make these crawls successful would be employed: T-shirts and time limits. Matt went to work on a logo for the shirts that would rip off the Gettin’ Lucky design on the front and feature our mascot, Lenny the alien, on back. Laura appointed herself “time keeper” and found the biggest stopwatch and loudest whistle to keep the group moving. Courtney and I took up marketing and quickly tried to get the word out.

Only about 20 people showed up for the first No Cover Walk (a title we took to protest cover charges, although we found out if you start early enough, you won’t encounter them — duh). The second year 50 friends and curious strangers joined us in our walk of no shame as we shuffled from the Outlook Inn to Bearno’s Highlands. Only about 15 dazed fools made it to the end.

This year we ordered 100 shirts (which will be gold this time) and made a vow to get the word out to all our thirsty brothers and sisters looking for a self-respecting challenge.

So now I’m talking to you. The offer has been made — will you accept?

The shirts are $10, but you don’t need one to participate. Oh, and don’t forget to arrange a ride home — you’ll need it. E-mail me at [email protected] if you have any questions.