While some people were planning romantic evenings for the next day, others were hitting up five of Bakersfield’s downtown bars on Feb. 13 at the Valentine’s Day Eve Pub Crawl. Starting at 3 p.m., attendees traveled on foot each hour from bar to bar, starting with Sandrini’s, then on to Fishlips Bar and Grill, Enso, The Nile and finally ended the festivities at the Padre Hotel.

Organizer Corrine Coats decided to put on the Valentine’s Day Eve Pub Crawl when she couldn’t find another pub crawl in town to go to.

“I was looking for a pub crawl to go to, I thought it would be fun,” she said. “But there wasn’t one to go to, so a friend suggested I make my own. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this.”

Although Coats admitted that “very little” planning went into the pub crawl, she did have to make the schedule and fliers, promote the event predominantly through Facebook and talk to the bars to make sure they were able to hold the crowd Coats was expecting. The number of expected attendees started off at 30 to 60 people, but by the time the event rolled around, Coats said she expected about 75.

The main goal of the pub crawl, besides having a good time, was to expose people to different bars in downtown Bakersfield, including the Japanese restaurant and bar Enso and the newly reopened Padre Hotel, said Coats.

“Some of these bars are ones I like the most and some of them, like Enso and the Padre, are new,” said Coats on why the five bars were chosen. “Other bars, like the Alley Cat, would be too small to hold so many people.”

Sisters Sara and Jenni Chaffin, 25 and 28 respectively, came with friends to the pub crawl hoping to have a good time and maybe find a Valentine.

“We like to drink, we don’t have men, and we’re hoping to find one. We’re having another shot of love,” said Chaffin. “I didn’t know about this until 30 minutes before we came. It’s almost like St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s better because we’re all bitter.”

“We’re not Irish, but we have hearts!” added Sara.

Leticia Jimenez, 23 and a BC liberal studies major, came to the pub crawl with a group of friends, sisters and cousins.

“I came here to get drunk and to hang out,” Jimenez said. Grabbing her bottle of Bud Light, she added, “Here’s my valentine!”

Many of the bars had drink specials and prizes were given to pub crawlers who wore red or pink, including novelty hats, glow bracelets, beaded necklaces and fake tattoos. Coats said she would like to organize more pub crawls in the future.

“I’m a big advocate for downtown,” said Coats. “Maybe not for free again, though. If we charge, the money can go to the bars.”