Everybody's Writing About Beer in Bay City, Michigan
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Local bars were well-stocked for the 2007 St. Patrick's Day weekend celebration.
American Legion volunteers take tickets during the 2007 St. Patrick's Day Beer Tent fundraiser
The American Legion put up a beer tent in downtown Bay City for St. Patrick's Day weekend. Right out there in front of God and everybody. Right next to the downtown library.
The American Legion says it's a fundraiser.
Some even think it's a fundraiser for the library. (Nope) It's a fundraiser for the American Legion.
It's hard to be angry and/or negative about a fundraiser. Heck! The Bay County Sports Hall of Fame has been talking about a Beer Tent for five years -- as a way to raise money for the HOF scholarship program.
(1) According to Wikipedia, Beer is the world's oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage, selling more than 133 billion liters (35 billion gallons) per year - producing total global revenues of $331.8 billion in 2004.
(2) A tent is a shelter, consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles and/or ropes. Some tent styles are free-standing, while others are attached to the ground using guy ropes tied to stakes (pegs).
(3) A Beer Tent is a place to drink beer during a festival or a celebration.
It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Americans love beer. It is easily the most frequently requested alcoholic beverage for men and second only to white wine for women. And, given the opportunity, men and women will congregate at a Beer Tent during most any festive occasion.
The United States ranks a mere 13th in the world for beer consumed by an individual - 81.6 liters/year. The top 12 beer drinking countries in the world are: Czech Republic, Ireland, Germany, Australia, United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Spain.
81.6 liters per individual = 2,692 ounces or approximately 225 beers per year or 4.5 bottles per week.
Are you still with me . . .?
I'm sure that Bay City residents and visitors to see the 53rd Annual St. Pat's Parade drank a lot of beer in Bay City this weekend to celebrate both the parade and the on-rush of Spring.
And . . . for some reason, there's a whole pile of people that seem to think that Bay City (as a town) drinks more than the average town. Columnists are always writing about Bay City's "image" as a beer-drinking city.
This has always confused me. I'm not sure that Bay City folks drink more beer than anyone else. I think that image came under scrutiny after the growth and success of the "Midland Bar District" on Bay City's West Side.
We have beer tents for most every other festival - all summer long. There's St. Stans, Munger Potato, Linwood Pickle, Auburn Corn, St John's, Pig Gig, River Roar, and on and on.
But I don't think that makes us bad people or even, heaven forbid, alcoholics and/or drunks. After all, we're only 13th on the list of beer drinking per capita countries.
As far back as I remember, Bay City has always had an abundance of neighborhood bars. I lived most of my childhood and all of my local schooling in the vicinity of 16th and Sherman in Bay City's South End. There were 5 bars within a six-block radius of my home. Four of those bars are still in business. I don't think I was adversely affected by the nearness of those liquor establishments.
Remember, Bay City is a now college town (of sorts). Bay City has both SVSU and Delta College within easy driving distance. Many high school grads stay close to home for a few years and attend these fine educational facilities.
I know college towns. I lived in South Bend, Indiana for 5 years. South Bend is (and was) and always will be a college town. It is a football party town. Bars are everywhere. Drinking on football weekends is almost considered a tradition. I liked South Bend.
I also lived for 2 years in Vail, Colorado. People came to Vail from all over the globe to vacation - to ski, and to drink, party and relax after the slopes closed for the night. I liked Vail.
Two weeks ago, when I first heard that the American Legion was going to have a Beer Tent, my knee-jerk reaction was one of negativity. I was concerned for downtown business. Stein Haus, Old City Hall, Gatzby's, Mulligan's & Kingfish-Tiki are all East-side businesses that rely on special events, like St. Pat's weekend, to pack the booths, ring the cash registers and help to pay the bills.
I'm still not sure whether the Beer Tent was a good plan. But, I spoke with Rick Revette late on Sunday after the parade crowd had cleared and most Irish revelers had headed home to prepare for the new work week. Revette owns both Gatzby's and Mulligan's.
"I don't know if we were really effected all that much," Revette said about the weekend's business activity. Revette said he would know more after comparing actual sales figures for this year and last year.
"We were steady (business) all day Saturday and Sunday," Revette said. "It was a good weekend."
The bottom line is simple. (1) Not all people who drink beer are bad people. (2) The St. Pat's weekend went off as planned - just like it always does - with or without a Beer Tent next to the library. (3) The St. Pat's Beer Tent did not immediately change the course of Irish traditions in downtown Bay City.
Personally, I thought it was a great weekend. The weather was cooperative. Crowds were well-behaved. And you can see by the smiling faces in Steve Kent's & Andy Rogers parade photo-spread, that a good time was had by all.
Spring arrives officially in just 3 days.
Man . . . I love Bay City.
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O. J. Cunningham |
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