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Nightlife:

C+

(explain this grade)

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Quick Stats

Useful Resources for Nightlife

  • The Compass

Student Favorites

  • Alibis
  • The Gingerbread Man Bar and Grill

Primary Areas with Nightlife

  • Downtown

Favorite Drinking Games

  • Beer pong
  • Card games (A$$hole, Kings)
  • Flip cup
  • Quarters

Bars Close At

12 a.m. on weekdays

2 a.m. on weekends

Cheapest Place to Get a Drink

Alibis

College Prowler Take

There is no club scene for anyone under 21 in the town of Carlisle. The neighboring areas of Mechanicsburg and Harrisburg have a few underage dance clubs, but these are not popular destinations for Dickinson students, especially since freshmen cannot have cars on campus. Instead, underclassmen normally stay on campus on weekend nights and go to parties or find rides to local movie theaters and shopping centers. For most students, nightlife revolves around the campus social scene. Most parties are hosted by Greek organizations or sports teams and are held off campus since on-campus residences are not permitted to have kegs. It is quite common for word of off-campus parties to spread quickly, and they are usually very crowded with kids looking to have a good time.

In addition, there is a large selection of fun and inexpensive bars within walking distance of campus for those who are legal. The Gingerbread Man and Alibis are the bars most commonly frequented by Dickinson students. Though there are no clubs per se, students interested in this scene can check out Second Street in Harrisburg, an area known for its wild nightlife. For students not interested in partying or drinking, the college sponsors a wide array of weekend events, from dance competitions to movies to concerts to the ever-popular HUB All-Night, in which the HUB is open late with entertainment and activities for students.

 

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

DicMC says:

Dickinson College 2013

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, and Humanities

I'm not a huge partier, but that...

I'm not a huge partier, but that scene does seem to be mostly dominated by Greek life and its rivals, such as the Frisbee team. Any time I've ever wanted to go out, there hasn't been a lack of keg parties. Town bars are favorites for the 21-and-up crowd because of their kitschy hick appeal.

Nightlife: February 20, 2009
Report

DicJA says:

Dickinson College 2013

Social Sciences

The parties vary. There is a large...

The parties vary. There is a large amount of Greek life that holds their own parties, but there are also lots of other non-Greek life parties. A lot of people go to the bars on the weekends, which are a short walk from campus. The most popular bar right now is Alibis, but it used to be the G-Man, so it varies depending on the year.

Nightlife: February 20, 2009
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DicAS says:

Dickinson College 2015

English Language and Literature

Nightlife is for students 21-plus...

Nightlife is for students 21-plus unless you make friends with a bouncer. Even then, there are only a handful of bars in Carlisle and only about two trustworthy ones. Go to Alibis for a good time and a safe walk back to campus. Avoid Fast Eddie's.

Nightlife: February 20, 2009
Report

DicTD says:

Dickinson College 2015

English Language and Literature

Most of the parties on campus are...

Most of the parties on campus are sports-team- or Greek-oriented. There are a few bars around town, but there aren't really any clubs in Carlisle.

Nightlife: February 19, 2009
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DicTB says:

Dickinson College 2015

Business

The on campus parties are alright,...

The on campus parties are alright, but there's nothing with more than 50 people. The cops usually break them up shortly after midnight. The houses that have parties are small and cramped.

Nightlife: February 17, 2009
Report

Facts

Club Crawler

There are no clubs in Carlisle. Most students take advantage of on-campus dance parties or go to the bars instead. However, for those who are really into the club scene, Second Street in the city of Harrisburg is renowned for its large variety of trendy dance clubs and nightlife and is only a half an hour’s drive from Dickinson.

Bar Prowler

Students of legal drinking age are generally very satisfied with the selection of bars in Carlisle. The Gingerbread Man is a favorite, as well as Blondie’s and Fast Eddie’s. All three are very close to campus and within easy walking distance of any dorm or apartment building.

Organization Parties

Most organizations on campus throw at least a few parties at some point in the academic year. Typically these parties are open to everyone and held at places like the Depot or the Quarry basement. MOB (Multi-Organizational Board) dance parties normally include a variety of free food, including pizza, and are very popular, as are the dances (like the All-College Formal, sponsored by a class or the student senate) that are held in the HUB.

Bar Listings

Blondie’s has a great menu as well as a stocked-bar, including house wines and domestic and imported beer. It’s a relaxed atmosphere and a good place for students to go to have a drink. Happy Hour is every Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Blondie’s

49 West High St.

Downtown

(717) 249-8132

Currently the bar of choice, students love Alibis for its inexpensive specials.

Alibis Eatery & Spirits

10 N. Pitt St.

Carlisle

(717) 243-4151

www.alibispirits.com

Fast Eddie’s is recently renovated and remodeled. It features a dance floor, six pool tables and weekend live entertainment. Happy Hour starts at 8 p.m., and there is a $1 cover on Thursday nights for D.J. Joe George. They also have a Thursday night drink special for Dickinson students that includes $1 mixed drinks and $4 pitchers.

Fast Eddie’s Saloon

37 West High St.

Downtown

(717) 245-9889

The “G-Man” is one of the most popular bars for Dickinson students. It not only offers a bus service that will take you to and from home on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, but it has everyday Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Interestingly, the Guinness World Record for the fastest liter of beer ever drunk was recorded by a Penn State Law student at the Carlisle Gingerbread Man in 1977, with a time of 1.3 seconds! The G-Man also features Monday and Tuesday night Rolling Rock specials.

The Gingerbread Man Bar and Grill (“The G-Man”)

5 S. Courthouse Ave.

Downtown

(717) 245-2500

This place is loved for its “Glass Night,” where people can buy a pint of a different beer from around the world and keep the glass. This happens every other Tuesday.

Market Cross Pub

113 N. Hanover St.

Carlisle

(

www.marketcrosspub.com

What to Do if You're Not 21

Those who are under-21 typically stay on campus and party or hangout with friends, or go to the movies and shopping on the weekends. There are no under-twenty-one dance clubs in Carlisle, but the neighboring town of Mechanicsburg, about a fifteen minute drive from Dickinson, has a few. These are not terribly popular among Dickinson students however.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Rachel Warzala
Hometown: Somerset, NJ
Major: English/Political Science

Rachel is a campus tour guide and a member of the Orientation Committee. So if you decide to come to Dickinson, either to visit or to stay, make sure you say hi

Contributing Author Internship

College Prowler Internship

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