Homecoming Weekend at Ohio University lures an influx of exhilarated crowds, bringing together proud Bobcats from all over. Alumni, current students and faculty will gather in Athens to celebrate their home away from home in a week-long extravaganza from Monday to Saturday.
With the highly-anticipated weekend being just around the corner and the crowds heading to Court Street to celebrate OU, bars on campus are preparing to handle the increase in visitors and business.
Courtside Pizza, located at 85 N. Court St., is both a restaurant and bar, a combination that attracts a large crowd of college students nightly. Serving pizza until 2:30 am, Courtside has a patio with a total of 15 flat-screen TVs to keep bar attendees entertained all night long.
Elliot Auxter, a senior studying marketing, began working at Courtside six months ago as a kitchen staff member. Auxter said he has worked some of Courtside’s busiest weekends.
“There’s a lot more people on staff each day,” Auxter said. “We have to make extra sauces, extra dough, basically inventory.”
Auxter spoke about the early hours of work as Courtside’s first shift starts at 4:45 a.m. on Saturday of Homecoming weekend.
“It’s brutal to work it, to be honest,” Auxter said. “But really, the pay is good.”
The brutality comes with excitement, however, as Auxter describes an almost electric atmosphere that comes from the community coming together.
“I mean there definitely is just a vibe; it’s in the air,” Auxter said. “Court Street’s always popping.”
Bob’s Bar, a new bar at 5 Mill St. that recently opened in January 2024, is prepared for its first Homecoming with drink deals and an increase in staff.
Emma Ryder, a senior studying graphic design, is a bartender at Bob’s and has been working there since it first opened. With it being the business’s first Homecoming, the bar isn’t sure what to anticipate in regard to crowds.
“We’re not entirely sure yet, because, again, it is our first, but we definitely have everybody on the schedule,” Ryder said. “We’ve got everyone working at least once this weekend.”
Ryder explained although the bar isn’t fully staffed at the moment, she is hoping that with the added patronage on Court Street during Homecoming, there will be added bonuses in pay and tips.
Ryder added with increased Homecoming excitement and festivities, Bob’s is offering deals for shots, or shooters for bar attendees.
“So we do have a new list of shooters, which I feel like we haven't been promoting probably as good as we should, but we have a new list of shooters that are delicious,” Ryder said.
Ryder included the shooters will be priced around $4-5. According to their Instagram, two of their available “Bob’s Bar Shooters” are a Mill Street Punch, which has Captain Morgan, Watermelon Pucker and pineapple juice, and a Tequila on the Bricks, made with Don Julio Reposado, lemonade, lime juice and tajin.
Red Brick Tavern, located at 14 N Court St., will close at 2 a.m. on Friday night, but will reopen at the early hour of 6 a.m., said Red Brick and Pawpurrs events planner Mark Harris.
“Most bars, including us, usually do some kind of early breakfast type thing,” Harris said. “Kegs and Eggs is the thing that we do. We usually stay open until (2 a.m.).”
Red Brick will host two live performances in its basement for Homecoming weekend Friday. Men the Broken is set to perform at 10 p.m. and local singer-songwriter Emaline Duquette will perform at 11 p.m.
“Homecoming is a big weekend for all businesses in Athens, especially uptown, and especially the bars,” Harris said in an email. “We see big crowds in the evenings, not unlike other busy weekends. The big difference from most weekends is the morning and early afternoons having significantly more business.”
North End Kitchen and Bar, located at 77 N Court St., has brunch specials on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Some of their menu items for breakfast options are avocado toast, North End brunch burritos and breakfast bagels.
Although Homecoming weekend fun brings immense crowds of Bobcats who are all excitedly anxious to be back on the bricks, it's important to consider that fellow Bobcats are working hard behind the counters to ensure customers have a safe and fun night
“I definitely would say be nice to your bartenders,” Ryder said. “Tip your bartenders.”
