Chicago’s Original Trolley Crawl, “Screw Cupid,” Celebrates 15 Years of Partying for Chicago’s Fun-Loving Singles This Valentine’s Day

“It all started with a big group of Durkin’s regulars; thirty single chicks, taking over the bar, yelling obscenities about Cupid, love and the men that they pretended not to care about. That’s when I thought, ‘Screw Cupid,’” said Durkin’s Tavern Owner, Greg “Coach” Neal.

The following year, Neal helped promote the Screw Cupid Party, and to his surprise, over 200 singles packed the bar to capacity, chugging draft beer, mingling, dancing and using their best pick-up lines on one another. He then realized that being single in Chicago in the late-90’s was a great spot to be in.

Bar1 Events purchased Redmond’s Ale House the following year and Neal had a great idea. He called Chicago Trolley to tell them that he wanted to shuttle a couple hundred people around between the Bar1 bars, on what he coined, a “trolley crawl” instead of the standard, walking “pub crawl.” A few years later, nearly 2,000 twenty- and thirty-somethings were flooding the Northside for the chance to party and meet that other sexy single looking for anything but love.

Now, after 15 years, Bar1 Events has perfected the “Crawl that started it all,” and has become a premier Anti-Valentine’s Day event. Traditionally, the crawl runs for three hours, but in celebration of being the longest-running trolley crawl, they have added an additional hour. This year’s attendees will also find two chocolate fountains surrounded by fruit and candy, as to not miss out on the only sweet part of Valentine’s Day.

The Screw Cupid Pub Crawl will be held on Friday, February 14th, from 7-11pm. The $30 meal package includes domestic drafts, “Knock ‘em Out” Cupid Punch, food buffets at all four bars, two chocolate fountains, five trolleys and a thousand outgoing singles (3 drinks per person per hour).

Choose your starting location and hop on and off the trolleys at your own pace. Entire crawl includes Duffy’s Tavern & Grille, McGee’s Tavern, Durkin’s Tavern and Redmond’s Ale House.

Click the link to purchase tickets at preferred starting location: Duffy’s, Durkin’s, McGee’s, Redmond’s.

– Bar1 Events and Chicago Trolley