Extra Hoboken Police To Be Deployed For LepreCon 2024 Bar Crawls Saturday

HOBOKEN, NJ — Some residents hate them, others enjoy participating, and still others just giggle at the racy t-shirts. They're all part of Hoboken's money-making holiday bar crawls, and they're coming back starting this Saturday, March 2, at 10 a.m. in advance of St. Patrick's Day.

The self-proclaimed "Official Hoboken LepreCon Bar Crawl 2024" starts that day at Madd Hatter on Washington Street at 10 a.m., according to a website.

"In Hoboken, New Jersey, the first Saturday in March is always a special day," says the site. "This year, our 'All Access Pass' is the only package you'll need to enjoy the full day in excitement, as all of Hoboken's best clubs and bars unite on a star-studded event."

The site says more than 12 bars will participate.

These bar crawls are planned by independent organizations and bars and not by the city. Restaurants have said that events like these carry them throw the slower months.

Various other bar craws are planned for the first three weekends in March in Hoboken.

A spokesperson for the Hoboken police said Wednesday, " Additional police officers have been assigned to work this weekend in anticipation of advertised bar crawls. As always, a zero-tolerance policy will be in place for all violations, with violators facing fines up to $1,000. Fire inspectors will also be on duty to make sure establishments are not violating fire code regulations including overcapacity, blocking entrances, or other laws. Participants are reminded to never drink and drive and are encouraged to use public transportation."

“We thank, ahead of time, all our police, fire, OEM and EMS workers who will spend their Saturday ensuring the safety of all residents and visitors,” said Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante. “The number of public safety-related issues, including arrests, have been falling in recent years and we hope to see those stats continue to drop."

Chief Steven Aguiar added, "We encourage individuals and participating businesses to be safe, abide by the law, and be respectful of our city, the residents, and themselves.”

Origin Story

The crawls ramped up in 2012 after Hoboken's independent St. Patrick's Parade Committee — a decades-old group that was not a part of city government — posted a letter on its website saying it would cancel the 26th annual parade that year.

They had traditionally held the family-friendly parade the first Saturday in March to secure the best bands. But as more young people partied in Hoboken, and held house parties on the same day as the parade, then-Mayor Dawn Zimmer suggested the event be held on a weeknight instead of Saturday.

The organizers said no, and independent entrepreneurs swooped in to fill the void.

Each year, they held St. Patrick's-themed and "LepreCon" bar crawls on the first Saturday.

In recent years, public safety officials have said that the events, including SantaCon in December, are more "subdued" due to police enforcement and publicizing of fines.

“The annual unsanctioned bar crawl events on the first weekend in March continue to have substantially reduced participation and are now tame events, compared to years past," said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla last year.

Meanwhile, after posting a survey about whether to bring back to the parade last year, a local business group sent a float through the streets.

See photos of the last LepreCon before the pandemic lockdown here.