by Debbi | Dec 19, 2011 | Christmas, Downtown, Events, Good Things, Newsworthy
We had a great time at SantaCon 2011!
This is the second year we've participated in SantaCon Lawrence. What is it? In a nutshell, a pub crawl of Santas parading around downtown Lawrence. Santas were also encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to be donated to Just Food, the local food bank.
The Santas (and some elves) gathered here around 2 p.m. last Saturday. A reporter and photographer from the Lawrence Journal-World stopped by to talk to Santas and take pictures, and after about an hour the party moved on.
The Santa parade traveled through Sunflower Bike Shop and headed south on Mass Street, with Santas handing out candy canes to children and waving at passersby. The tour included the Granada, a detour to Pyramid Pizza for non-alcoholic sustenance, the Replay Lounge (where a few Santas did the Car Wash on stage, and Dave was interviewed by Channel 6), the Red Lyon, and then back north.
A few Santas stopped for cupcakes at Cupcake Construction Company; others detoured through the Pig. The group came back together at the Bottleneck and ended the evening at Henry's on 8th.
Here are a few links:
Red and White and Christmas All Over (LJ World article)
On the Street: Why Did You Participate in SantaCon (LJ World)
Slide Show about SantaCon (LJ World)
Great group shot outside the Sandbar by John Clayton
by Debbi | Dec 12, 2011 | Cool Stuff, Events, KU Basketball
Last Saturday, the KU basketball team had a big game against Ohio State. We were fortunate to have a unique event take place at the bar because of this game- a live radio broadcast!
Ryan from The Angle of Pursuit radio show on 970 WFUN contacted us about broadcasting his pre-game show from the Sandbar. Sure, we said; we're always up for something different.
Ryan and his buddy came in on Friday night and got to experience the Bar Band. They were back on Saturday for their pre-game show, and he even interviewed Dave on the air. We'll try to track down a recording of the show, if it exists, so you can hear it. They left for the game and came back afterward, raving about the amazing atmosphere in Allen Fieldhouse, for a post-game show.
Of course, we all know how fantastic Lawrence, Allen Fieldhouse and the Sandbar are, but it's nice to hear what new visitors think. Here's what Ryan had to say:
I'd like to take a moment to sincerely thank EVERYONE we encountered on our trip to Lawrence. First: Dave, Debbi, Peach, Heather, Blair, and The Sandbar staff, you were the best hosts we could have hoped for. Second: The people of Lawrence. We didn't encounter a single person who wasn't a great fan of basketball and a better representative of KU and Kansas as a whole. And Finally: To Roger McCoy, Dave Hatfield, Cody Slaybaugh, Kim Frustere, Robert Bloomer, Dana Schulte, and Curtis Colby for making the trip possible. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
And thankfully, KU won their game!
by Debbi | Dec 7, 2011 | Cool Stuff, Events, KU Basketball
The KU basketball team takes on Ohio State this Saturday in yet another huge game this season. We're excited for a unique opportunity at the bar before the game- a live radio broadcast!
Ryan Lencl is the host of the Angle of Pursuit, a sports talk radio show that airs on ESPN AM 970 WFUN from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays. The show is out of Ashtabula, Ohio, and is also streamed live online.
Ryan contacted us about doing a live broadcast at the bar before the game, and since we're generally up for just about anything, we said sure! It's their first time in Kansas and we're glad to welcome them.
The broadcast will start around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday (time has been changed from the previous announcement due to the time zone difference), and tip-off is at 2:15 p.m. You can see a short commercial for the show on our Facebook page. (I couldn't figure out how to pull it off and embed it here, sorry for my lack of technical skills.)
We'll have pizza available for fans who come by for the broadcast. And Dave might make an appearance on the show, so be sure to tune in!
Check out the Angle of Pursuit's Facebook page here.
by Debbi | Dec 1, 2011 | Downtown, Events, Good Things
One of Lawrence's great holiday traditions is this weekend- the Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade!
Downtown Lawrence will be filled with horses and carriages and buggies on Saturday, Dec. 3. The parade starts at 11 a.m. at 7th and Massachusetts and heads south.
Something cool this year: the parade was named as one of the top 10 U.S. Christmas celebrations by the website Suite 101. You can read their article here to see what they had to say, along with the other nine celebrations that were selected.
Something else cool this year: Downtown Lawrence Inc. has partnered with Just Food, the local food bank, to place food donation barrels downtown. Anytime you're downtown this season, whether for the parade or to shop, bring non-perishable food items with you to put in the barrels. Some downtown merchants will also have cash donation boxes in their stores.
The Sandbar is proud to be a sponsor of this Lawrence tradition, and we hope you'll make it out on Saturday for the parade!
Like the Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade page on Facebook.
by Debbi | Nov 30, 2011 | Christmas, Downtown, Events, Good Things, Pub Crawl
SantaCon 2011 is coming to town!
Last year we participated in the inaugural SantaCon in downtown Lawrence, and we're excited to be part of this event again this year!
What is SantaCon? “SantaCon is a mass gathering of people dressed in Santa Claus costumes parading publicly on streets and in bars in cities around the world. The focus is on spontaneity and creativity, while having a good time and spreading cheer and goodwill," according to Wikipedia.
SantaCon Lawrence also incorporates a bit of charity: a food drive to benefit Just Food, the local food bank.
Here's the details for this year's extravaganza:
- When: Saturday, Dec. 17
- Time: 2 p.m.
- Where: Starts at the Sandbar and travels to downtown Lawrence bars
Food donations will be accepted at the Sandbar all day on Dec. 17, so even if you can't participate in SantaCon you can still donate non-perishable food.
Be sure to find a Santa costume! Check out Fun & Games or the Antique Mall in downtown Lawrence for suits or accessories. Or, be creative and make your own!
For more information about SantaCon Lawrence, including the rules, visit the website. You can also like the SantaCon Lawrence Facebook page or RSVP to the event on Facebook.
by Debbi | Oct 29, 2011 | Events, Halloween, Ottawa
On Friday night the Sandbar hosted our third annual Rocky Horror Picture Show party bus extravaganza. We filled a school bus with fun people from the Sandbar, picked up more fun party people in Baldwin and headed for Ottawa.
Our first stop after we picked up a few people at the Lodge in Baldwin City was Dunn's Landing, a working farm outside of Baldwin. Our friends Robin and Kirsten decorated their barn with festive Halloween decor and treated all of us to chili. When everyone was finished eating, we loaded back up on the bus and traveled to Ottawa for the main event.
The party crew outside the barn at Dunn's Landing
The Crystal Plaza Theater in Ottawa has undergone a makeover. Owners Peach, Ted, Teddy and Amelia have added a kitchen and grill, and the lobby area features a small dining area along with a counter and bar stools in the concession area. There's a full menu of appetizers, sandwiches and burgers; and we were particularly amused with the "Happy Endings" section of the menu. It features desserts, silly.
We watched Rocky Horror in the smaller theater, where some of the theater seating was removed to make way for several tables and chairs so patrons can enjoy food while watching the movie.
If you've never been to RHPS, you need to go. It's not the movie itself that is so much fun, but the entire event, especially with the Sandbar crew. And particularly Movie Dave and Scotty Mac, who thoroughly entertained the crowd with their dialogue.
The party crew in the lobby of the Ottawa Crystal Plaza movie theater
After the movie, we loaded back up on the bus and headed home. Many thanks to our awesome bus driver, Jimmy Lee Rose. Anyone who can put up with our group is a rock star! We'll be sure to request him as our driver next time we rent a bus.
