The Chicago PPC

 Parties, Pub Crawls, Beach Volleyball, and other fun stuff since 1994.  Chicago Is Our Playground!

Last Week's PPC Picture(s) of the Week!
Go to Fridge Door Page for This Week's Pic's
 

Check out the PPC "Refrigerator Door" for the latest news on PPC parties, events pictures, classifieds, and other PPC-related stuff!

Special Thanks to Wayne Watrach for the 2008 12 Bars Graphic! waynewatrach.com

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE 400+ REVELERS THAT HELPED MAKE THE 2008
PPC 12 BARS YET ANOTHER GREAT SUCCESS!!!

Pictures from the 2008 Event!!

The PPC's Winter Flagship Event
The 12th Annual 12 Bars of Christmas
Lincoln Park Neighborhood Pub Crawl - 2008

Celebrating TWELVE YEARS of FREE Pub Crawling With FRIENDS In The NEIGHBORHOOD

Saturday, December 6th
Starting 3pm at Bricks Pizza - 1909 N. Lincoln
(just Southeast of the Lincoln/Sedgwick/Armitage intersection)

Free Wristbands, Drink Specials at Each Bar,
Plenty of Friends and Holiday Cheer!

Click here to download a printable flyer in MS Word or Adobe PDF

[trust me, after the fourth or fifth bar you WILL need this handy reference!]
 

Although there have been evolutionary changes along the way, like moving the event onto Saturday night (so more folks could attend), free wristbands, and of course, pre-negotiated drink specials, our core traditions remain the same... good friends, good drinks, good times, and even some free Santa Hats for the early birds.

And even though this event has grown to one of the largest private pub crawls in the city, to this day we don't collect one penny from our friends for this event, as we do not wish to make your charitable giving decision for you by collecting on someone else's behalf or line our own pockets (hey, we have decent jobs to pay the bar tab!). We think it's great that others raise money for charity (so please be generous to the charity of your choice) and peeps are certainly within their own rights to supplement their income by organizing fun stuff for their friends, but that's just not what we're all about. We're just here to have a good time!

Hope to see you all there!

PPC's 12th Annual 12 Bars of Christmas Lincoln Park Neighborhood Pub Crawl Saturday, December 6st, 2008 Starting 3pm at Bricks Pizza - 1909 N. Lincoln   Click here to download a printable flyer in  Adobe PDF	And  for those who like visuals, here's the 2008 Route Map!

Highlights for 2008 will include:

• FLIGHTING: This thing is getting a bit too big to all be in the same bar at the same time, so plan on moving it along in smaller groups for better service at the bars (get your drinks faster!). Specials are being negotiated with the bars across longer windows to accommodate this.
   
• BACKUP BARS TO REDUCE CONGESTION ON ARMITAGE AND LINCOLN: Let's face it, River Shannon, the sentimental home and traditional start of our 12 Bars in years past is way too small for this monster pub crawl so we've added Gamekeepers in the same time slot for those who can't get into River Shannon. Likewise we've added O'Malley's West for those who can't get into Four Farthings and/or Kelsey's & Kendall's. More options for less crowding and better service!
   
• TWO-BAR HALFTIME PARTY AT KELSEY'S AND KENDALL'S: To properly celebrate halftime of the crawl (and carb up at Lincoln Ave Pizza by the Slice, if necessary) we will be visiting Kelsey's and Kendall's simultaneously and have reserved an extra long window on the schedule for the halftime party. These bars are right next door to each other and people will be encouraged to move freely between them.
   
• YOU TOO CAN BE AN "ALL STAR": For those who remember last year's event, we once again did the foil stars to stick to people's nametags as a kind of "bogey count" to show how many bars you were at. One star per bar and you don't need to drink anything to earn a star, just be at the bar itself. Mad props to those who can collect all 12!!!!

Visiting From Out of Town?

Don't even think of driving home after this wipeout!

• Nice place to crash (aside from Fuji's couch at Party Central) Days Inn Lincoln Park - 644 West Diversey Parkway (At Diversey, Clark & Broadway Street) Chicago, IL, 60614 US 773-525-7010. This hotel is about two blocks directly East of the two ending bars! Approx $90-$120/night.
   
• Dive Place to crash - Diplomat Hotel - 3208 N Sheffield Ave, (Sheffield & Belmont, about three blocks North and two blocks East of the ending bars).  Chicago, IL 60657. (773) 549-6800. Call for latest rates.
   

13th Annual Chicago Fourth of July Party 2004
Event Information

This year's theme is "All Good Things...The End of An Era".

Update: Pictures from the 2004 Party! "Last Call"

Grant Park Pat Benater Outing: http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=kuxb1a3.9hympodj&x=1&y=dxjqei

BBQ Picnic at Party Central: http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=kuxb1a3.8d18tsfb&x=1&y=egigyz

Scavenger Hunt Pub Crawl #1: http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=kuxb1a3.5juq9cdj&x=1&y=-4480oh

Scavenger Hunt Pub Crawl #2: http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=kuxb1a3.4xu2kjaf&x=1&y=rc7vps

2004 Calendar of Events

1) Sat 6/26 (Evening) Chartered Booze Cruise on Lake Michigan  Click here to register
2) Sat 6/26 (Night) The traditional Post-Cruise Party at the Hangge Uppe
3) Sat 7/3 (Night) Fireworks in Grant Park
4) Sun 7/4 (Afternoon/Evening) Last Ever PPC BBQ Picnic Scavenger Hunt/Pub Crawl in Lincoln Park

Click here for the 2004 Registration Form (When available)

Click here for more info on the 2004 festivities!!

Thanks to all the flappers and gangsters who joined us to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre right next door to the place it happened (note the unique twin granite columns featured in both the historic and current photo's above). The night started off with a specially scheduled Chicago Gangster Tour on the black school bus where we jaunted around town to see the venues associated with  Chicago's Roaring 20's gangster activity. The the party returned to 2120 N. Clark for the main event which started off with our gracious host, Steve, who officially declared the end of Prohibition and started the libations flowing. I think everyone would agree that  great time was had by all and we're looking forward to the 2nd Annual event in 2003! Thanks again Steve for a great party!. You can check out Nora's pictures from the party by clicking here or Sean's pictures from this event here.

Farewell to a Lincoln Park Legend

'Tis a sad day indeed. Here is a shot of the demolition in progress of the legendary Harp & Shamrock Club at 1641 W. Fullerton. One of the last great dive bars in Lincoln Park and a place where I knew both the owner and many of the bartenders. I remember many a times sharing a beer with friends from my fraternity (the proprietor, Jerry Walsh, was one of our brothers), especially when I first arrived in Chicago before I got into the PPC thing. Time and the economics of area finally overtook the grand old lady (land was worth more than the bar as a going concern). Other special memories include watching the Chicago Police Department's Emerald Society Drum and Bagpipe Corps play there on St. Patrick's Day. At least much of the memorabilia accumulated over the years was donated to the Chicago Historical Society. I for one plan to raise a glass to note this sad passing.

---- Harp & Shamrock, 1885-2003 ----

"Prom of the Living Dead" - the PPC-Sanctioned Halloween Party sets a new single event turnout record! 350+!!!

Saturday, October 27, 2001. The date two great Chicago Halloween party traditions collided to become The Perfect Storm. The legendary Frank Jamora North Racine Ave. Halloween bash and the Adam, Brett, and Larry Bash on Washtenaw combined for one epic event in the 4000+ sqft Doom Room..

Although the true turnout may never be known, it is estimated by reliable sources that approximately 350 revelers (we stopped counting at 300 at midnight) visited the legendary "Doom Room" that night. Because we exceeded our turnout by at least 50%, not a drop of alcohol was left on the premises by the end of the night. It is rumored that heavy equipment is being borrowed from Ground Zero to aid in cleanup efforts. But a great time was had by all!

Special thanks to Adam, Brett, and Larry, our hosts and the legal residents at the Washtenaw house not only for allowing us to join their party at their place, but also their prep, bartending, and cleanup efforts. And Frank with his 700+ MP3 collection and mixing board kept the tunes coming all night and the dance floor packed. And last but not least, thanks to Sebastian and Tom helped with logistics and the door, and Steve (pictured above, as "Devo") who took a staggering 185 pictures (gotta love digital cameras) and posted them on his MSN Communities website (Click here to go to Steve's photo album) as well as all the others who also helped out. My roommate John also took some incriminating photos (Click here for John's Pix). Last but not least I finally got off my butt and developed a roll of film (Click here for Fuji's pictures from various fall events).