Controversial Hoboken Leprecon Bar Crawl Planned Again This Year

HOBOKEN, NJ — Despite annual complaints from the police, longtime Hoboken residents, and a number of others, private organizers have scheduled an early St. Patrick's-themed "Leprecon" Bar Crawl again in the mile-square city this year, this time involving three bars (so far) and running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 7.

In addition, separate organizers have announced another bar crawl on March 14 at 1 p.m., a "Luck of the Irish" crawl, requiring separate tickets.

The "Official Hoboken Leprecon Crawl 2020" site for March 7 says, "The times might surprise you - starting at 10AM? Yep! That's what Hoboken and the first Saturday in March is famous for."

A spokesman for the Hoboken Police Department said on Thursday that the department has already met twice to plan for the upcoming crawls, and will have more details after they meet again next week. Typically, the department has requested deployments from other towns to augment their own, and has seen the number of police incidents during holiday bar crawls drop over the past few years.

Holiday-related bar crawls have a checkered history in the mile-square city, beginning in 2012 after Hoboken's longtime St. Patrick's Parade Committee refused to move their traditional parade to a weekday night, ignoring requests from Mayor Dawn Zimmer, who was tired of the rowdy house parties and celebrations that were held privately on the same day. With the parade canceled, independent promoters scheduled their own "Leprecon" bar crawls on the first Saturday of March each year, when the parade traditionally ran. (Hoboken's St. Patrick's Parade was held early so it wouldn't have to compete with other cities' parades for bands).

Each year, police and other officials complain about holiday cons like Santacon and Leprecon, but haven't eliminated them. They have increased enforcement over the years. Not only do participating bars open early during the events, but some residents hold private all-day house parties.

Local businesses, for their part, have noted that the crawls and other promotional events help keep keep them afloat through the summer, when patrons head to the shore. The city's responsible bar owners have said that they shouldn't be penalized when people act rowdy in their homes.

This year's "Official Hoboken Leprecon Crawl 2020" offers $10 admission to three bars: The INN, The Ainsworth (reopened in 2015 by Albie Manzo and Chris Manzo of "Real Housewives of New Jersey,") and Texas Arizona, all of which are a few blocks' walking distance from the Hoboken train station. The website says a total of 12 bars are participating.

The site boasts, "All of the hottest bars in Hoboken will be flooded for this year's annual Saint Paddy's Celebration – so make sure you're ready! With the 'All Access Pass' package, you'll be able to visit the best route of venues throughout the entire day."

The site for tickets to the March 14 "Luck of the Irish" crawl states, "Everyone knows that St. Patrick’s Day is never a calm, quiet affair. Where there’s day drinking, there’s usually a party raging on well into the wee hours of the morning. Take a break from the crazy New York City scene and slow it down a notch in the sixth borough. Known for being a party town, Hoboken’s not only just the birthplace of baseball. It’s also given birth to a host of local bars that are sure to tickle your fancy."

The events are not related to the Leprecon 46 2020 science fiction/fantasy convention to be held in Phoenix, AZ in April.

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