Hundreds of soon-to-be graduates will flood the streets of Downtown Kent May 3, decked out in matching T-shirts and ready to raise a glass, as Kent State seniors take part in the senior bar crawl.
From iconic local pubs to late-night pizza stops, the celebration is set to bring together friends and classmates for one last hurrah before they turn the page to life after college.
For Lexi Dempsey, a sophomore nursing student and the organizer behind this year’s crawl, the event is about more than just a night out; it’s about creating something that seniors will cherish long after graduation.
As the person in charge of designing the official bar crawl T-shirts, she said she wanted to make sure they did more than just mark the occasion.
“One thing that I believe truly makes a bar crawl unforgettable is the T-shirt — a tangible keepsake that captures the memories of the night and gives students something to look back on for years to come,” Dempsey said. “I wanted to design shirts that not only celebrated the event itself but also highlighted and honored the students’ four years at Kent.”
Creating the shirts and making sure the event runs smoothly takes coordination. Camryn Henry, a Kent State alum and business development leader for the crawl, helps manage communication with local businesses to ensure everyone is on the same page.
“We message all owners of the bars we are putting on the design to let them know what we are planning on doing,” Henry said. “This way, they can decide if they would like to be promoted on the shirt or not.”
This year, nine bars are officially featured on the merchandise, but Dempsey emphasized that the crawl is meant to be flexible and inclusive.
“We believe the students are able to participate in this crawl wherever they’d like,” she said. “We picked bars that have made an impact on the students throughout the four years and hope to add more for years to come.”
In addition to working with bars, the crawl organizers partnered with other local businesses to build excitement around the event.
“This year, we had the pleasure of working with Scribbles and set up a free coffee tab for the first so many customers,” Henry said. “The staff and owner are phenomenal, and we were so glad we could work with another local Kent business for [T-shirt] handouts.”
While the shirts and partnerships add an extra layer of fun, Dempsey stressed that the event is open to every graduating senior on all Kent State campuses, with no RSVP or ticket purchase required. Henry said the turnout has already surpassed expectations.
“This is the first year we have organized a large Kent bar crawl,” Henry said. “This year, we had over 300 customers.”
Part of what makes the event special is the unique charm of Downtown Kent itself, said Henry.
“Kent is lucky to have such a great, walkable downtown area that other cities don’t have,” she said. “This makes it so much fun to create unique designs highlighting this city and the downtown area we have.”
As the event approaches, organizers remind students to stay safe and enjoy the night responsibly.
“The buddy system is so important for such a popular night like this,” Dempsey said. “Make sure to eat a sufficient meal and stay hydrated throughout the night. There is absolutely no pressure to drink — this is meant to bring the 2025 class together to celebrate this huge milestone — enjoy the people around you.”
Savannah Carroll is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
