Bay to Breakers 2019 Top Party Tips For San Francisco’s Wild Street Event

Here’s How to Have Fun – at B2B Without Any Worries

It used to be one of America’s great events, a full-filled walk through the streets of San Francisco, full of floats, stops for keg stands and sudden outbreaks of block parties. It was the Mardi Gras of the West Coast. Except that you were in the parade, not watching it from the sidelines.

Naturally, there was alcohol involved, and for some reason that didn’t sit well with a few city officials – in this liberal city!? – and a few years ago the anti-party people declared a cocktail crackdown, a non-alcohol event. Well good luck with that!

People still party at Bay to Breakers. They just do it less in the open than in previous years. And since it’s happening anyway, here’s six tips on how to party at Bay to Breakers, which in 2019 is Sunday, May 21.

1.) Be Fun, Not Foolish

As any veteran knows, 99.99% of the people who go to Bay to Breakers are there just to have fun with the other 99%. But there’s always a few mulletheads who do something stupid and get arrested. Please don’t do that, particularly these days when B2B behavior is being so heavily scrutinized. Every person who is arrested or creates a problem is like taking a tiki torch to a rum drink – it creates a firestorm for the anti-alcohol purists.

2.) Be Cool With Your Cocktails

There’s no way that people aren’t going to drink during Bay to Breakers. Just don’t flaunt it. Conceal it. Keep your drinks in a colored plastic container (police can’t check the drink containers of all 75,000 people and even if they could, they don’t have the authority to do so, and there’s enough attorneys in the Bay Area to make sure they won’t do it again). So think when you drink.

3.) Create a Party-Friendly Costume

Unfortunately, the ultimate concealment devise – floats – are no longer allowed. That’s a shame because the floats were what really defined Bay to Breakers.  The rolling tiki bar with the churning blenders was my favorite part of the event! But we party people can adapt, so if you’re going in costume, pick something where you can keep your cocktails without drawing any attention to yourself.

We’ll leave it up to the creative Bay Area residents do to this without any suggestions; they’ve done just fine with costumes in the past.

4.) Go to a Bar

Here’s a sure-fire way to have drinks during Bay to Breakers and nobody can do anything about it – go to a bar! There’s a few along the route, most notably just past Hayes hill. There, you can have beers. Cocktails. Shots…

5.) Stay With the Crowds

Don’t stagger down a side street, wander off from everyone and wind up against a lamppost alone with a dazed look on your face. Stick with the crowds.

6.) Wait To Go Crazy Until Golden Gate Park

Once you get off the main city streets and enter Golden Gate Park, you’re golden. At least, you’re less likely to draw the attention of police. Well, hopefully you won’t draw the attention of police to start with, but things do loosen up a bit in the park.

Still, keep Tip #1 in mind at all times. And enjoy your 2019 Bay to Breakers!

MORE ON BAY TO BREAKERS!

• Bay To Breakers Ultimate Party Guide