Bates College - Nightlife

A few doors down from the Blue Goose, and about the same walking distance from campus, Pub 33 is a medium-sized bar with three pool tables and limited seating space. No dance floor here; Pub 33 is a favorite place to go to catch a game on TV and have a brewski! Wednesdays are karaoke nights and the occasional band will play on weekends. Batesies go on Thursday nights, when the pub sells Miller High Life for 75 cents. There are plenty of specials and a good selection on tap, though the Pub could certainly do better with their selection of mixed drinks. Batesies usually take up Pub 33 on weekdays for a lazy drink and good conversation. Food is also offered until closing–the jalapeño poppers are a must and aren’t too spicy. On weekends, it’s more of a pit-stop bar; you stop at Pub 33 before going to a Bates party.

Bates students have been frequenting the Blue Goose since the 1930s and it is a popular bar for Batesies to go to on Thursday nights. “The Goose,” as it is known to all students, has been in the vocabulary of Batesies for almost four decades. It is a favorite venue for students who have just come of drinking age, seniors looking to find a nice place to hang out with fellow classmates, and visiting alumni. The Goose is a very tiny dive bar within walking distance of campus. The Goose offers ample discounts for college students on selected nights. There is no dance floor (just have a seat and enjoy the extremely cheap brew). There are two arcade machines and a foosball table. The Goose has been a Bates favorite for years; names of alumni from as far back as ’86 can be found on the walls of the bathroom!

Located over the bridge across the Lewiston-Auburn line, Gritty’s is the place to go for a casual pint and dinner while watching a game or listening to a local band play. You can walk there in 40 minutes, though it is more convenient to drive there, especially at night. The pub brews its own beer, such as Original Pub Style, Best Brown Ale, Scottish Ale and Halloween and Christmas Ales around the holidays. Discounts are offered for food on certain nights, such as the Wednesday $5.99 burger special. Bates favorites include the sweet potato fries, spinach-artichoke dip, chicken wings and burgers. The macaroni and cheese is delicious, but order it without the jalapeño peppers if you don’t like spice and be wary that “half” could fill two people.

More commonly known as Guthries, many Bates students will come to listen to live music, while eating a burrito or Panini and sipping a glass of wine or beer. Guthries is about a 20-minute walk from campus and is usually frequented earlier in the evening before going to the bars or Bates parties. Students have rented out the space in the past for birthday parties and live performances by Bates’ student bands. Guthries is where you come for a relaxed evening with good friends, or to pre-game for a late-night party.

The Chase Hall Committee offers several non-drinking activities for students, bringing musicians, hypnotists and comedians to campus. If you want to see a movie, but can’t get off campus, the Filmboard shows recent movies for $1that may not even be on DVD yet; past films have included “The Dark Knight,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Superbad.” A cappella concerts are popular, especially during Parent’s Weekend and Winter Carnival; other than that, performances are limited. Bates also has a strong theater department that puts on main stage productions, one-acts, limited musicals and smaller productions that are all well-worth checking out.

Under-21s pretty much stay on campus, where there is no lack of free beer, especially for girls. Bars in Lewiston are really strict about carding people, since so many of the students at Bates are underage. However, occasionally The Goose doesn’t card on weeknights if you look old enough. There aren’t really any under-21 clubs in Lewiston, but if people are willing to go to Portland, the Industry is a decent nightclub for you youngsters.