Riverwest Pub Crawl

History
The Riverwest Pub Crawl is a pub crawl that was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2001 by Erik C. Peterson, as a children's charities fundraiser. Held annually the event takes place the Saturday before or after St. Patrick's Day. The first annual pub crawl took place on St. Patrick's Day of 2001, and was attended by over 100 people. The event consists of a light beer tasting, followed by a walking tour of neighborhood taverns and restaurants. The 2001 event started at the Acme Building, and included the taverns of Shanahan's Irish Pub, the Falcon Bowl, Dino's, Foundation, Uptowner, and Onopa Brewing Company. The event raised over $1000 in proceeds, which was donated to the Variety Club Children's Charity. By 2002, the event had grown to 195 people, and 14 taverns, adding Bosco's, Mayfield's, Hop In, Linneman's Riverwest Inn, The Gig, Klinger's East, Club 99, Circle A, and The Tracks. The event raised over $2800, again for the Variety Club Children's Charities. From 2003 to 2006, even more taverns were added to the tour, including Nessun Dorma, Art Bar, Riverwest Commons, Treats, Club Carribe, Squirrel Cage, River Horse, Rick and Donna's, Club Timbuktu, House of Frank N Stein, Bremen Cafe, Closet Classics, The Pub, The Riverwest, and Mac's Red Eye Lounge. In 2006, the final year the event was organized by Erik Peterson, the donation to charity was over $10,000, and the event included over 20 taverns and 475 participating pub crawlers. In 2007, the event was organized by Whispering Jeff Platt.

Donations to Charity
Besides the Variety Club, other charities have included the YMCA Holton Youth Center and the Museum of Beer and Brewing.

Beers
The event has featured many beers from around the world, and especially Wisconsin beer and breweries. Some beers have including Lakefront brewery, Sprecher Brewery, Milwaukee Brewing Company, Tyranena Brewing Company, Water Street Brewery, Stout Brothers, Berghoff, Stevens Point Brewery, Leinenkugel's, Oconomowoc Brewing Company, Gray's Brewing Company, Huber Brewing Company, and Goose Island Brewery. The event has also featured some large Wisconsin beers such as Pabst Brewing Company, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Miller Genuine Draft, Schlitz, Blatz, and Miller Lite.

Local celebrities who have attended the event include Jim Klisch, John Zutz, Whispering Jeff, Al Bunde, Michael Horne, the Riverwest Accordion Club, and Mickey Shanahan.

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See Also

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