Downtown Sioux City came alive on Saturday, May 4, 2024, for the 17th Annual River-Cade Barstool Open Mini-Golf Pub Crawl—a quirky, community-driven event that combines two fan favorites: mini-golf and pub crawling. My husband and
Downtown Sioux City came alive on Saturday, May 4, 2024, for the 17th Annual River-Cade Barstool Open Mini-Golf Pub Crawl—a quirky, community-driven event that combines two fan favorites: mini-golf and pub crawling. My husband and three of his friends formed a team and joined dozens of other creative groups for this fun-filled afternoon of putting, pints, and pub-hopping!
17 Bars. 17 Holes. Unlimited Fun.
Each team of four began their day by checking in at Buffalo Alice at 11:30 AM, where they teed off at noon and hit the streets of downtown Sioux City. What makes this pub crawl so unique is that each of the 17 participating bars sets up their own custom mini-golf hole—designed and built by volunteers and staff. That’s right—17 different bars, each with their own mini-golf green!
Here’s the full lineup of participating bars:
- Buffalo Alice
- Soho
- Majors
- Key Club
- Rebo’s
- Beer Can Alley
- Teasers
- Marquee
- Doxx
- Firehouse
- Jackson Street Brewery
- Bergie’s
- The Shack
- Crash Boom Bang
- Work & Church
- Bodega 401
- PBR
From simple ramps to wild themes, every hole brought its own flair. The creativity and community involvement behind each mini-course made the day even more special—and just when you thought you’d seen it all, the next bar would surprise you!
Go Hubby, Go!
I have to brag for a second—my husband and his team completed all 17 holes! In just 5 hours, they made it through every single bar, navigating the entire downtown route with energy, humor, and determination. 😄 Their dedication didn’t go unnoticed—they even made it on the nightly news as one of the few teams who stuck it out and conquered the crawl!
He told me the atmosphere was electric—teams were cheering each other on, swapping stories, and even engaging in some friendly competition. It was the kind of event where you could reconnect with locals, explore new bars you might’ve overlooked before, and just soak in the lively downtown vibe.
A Downtown Worth Toasting To
By the time I met up with them back at Buffalo Alice at 6 PM (yep—I was the designated driver, and proud of it! 🚗), the energy downtown was contagious. Everywhere I looked were smiling faces, high-fives, and people proudly showing off their completed scorecards. It was like the city collectively agreed to celebrate community, creativity, and good times.
And let’s not forget the symbolism: 17 bars for the 17th year of this iconic River-Cade event. It’s amazing to think about how this tradition has grown, and how each year the participating bars manage to outdo themselves.
Until Next Year…
If you’ve never taken part in the Barstool Open, put it on your calendar for next May! Whether you’re playing or spectating, it’s a guaranteed day of laughter, teamwork, and great memories. And if you do plan to play—start working on your putting game now… and maybe recruit a designated driver (I know a good one 😉).
Cheers to River-Cade, downtown Sioux City, and all the mini-golf champions who brought their A-game this year!