While many people think New Year’s Eve is the busiest bar night of the year, there is one unofficial holiday that takes the prize: Thanksgiving Eve. The day before Thanksgiving, sometimes called Blackout Wednesday, sees a significant rise in bar and restaurant traffic.
Why is this bar holiday so popular? Many college students come home for the Thanksgiving holiday and spend the night catching up with high school friends, and adult out-of-towners tend to fly home the day before Thanksgiving to maximize time with family. Many of their hosts would rather not make a meal the night before the holiday feast, so going out is easier.
Practice safe celebrations on Thanksgiving Eve
The Baltimore night scene offers plenty of options for anyone looking to have a night on the town that they can recover from with turkey and mashed potatoes the next day. However, anyone who goes out on Thanksgiving Eve should practice the same caution, if not more, behind the wheel that they would on any other night.
If you go out and visit with old friends over a few drinks, it can be easy to not realize how much alcohol you’ve had. Maybe you think you’re fine to drive and discover you had one too many when you are pulled over by the police.
In Maryland, there are driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) laws. While you can be convicted of a DUI if you have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08, you can be convicted of a DWI with a BAC of .07 or if you appear to be intoxicated at the time of your arrest. First-time offenses come with hefty fines.
If there is even a question you may be close to the legal limit, it is best not to get behind the wheel – for the safety of yourself and others. On Thanksgiving Eve, make sure everyone makes it to the dinner table the next day.