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Illinois Wesleyan University - NightlifeCollege Prowler3.46
Comparable Schools'
Nightlife Grades:
Quick StatsUseful Resources for Nightlife
- The GO! insert of Thursday’s local newspaper
Primary Areas with Nightlife
- Campus of Illinois State University
Other Places to Check Out
- Maguire’s Pub & Restaurant
Favorite Drinking Games
- Drinking “Insert Favorite Movie or TV Show Here”
- Flip Cup
Bars Close At
1 a.m. on weeknights
2 a.m. on weekends
Cheapest Place to Get a Drink
Any bar on ladies’ night
College Prowler Take
The nightlife on campus is dominated by parties with Greek-affiliation, and for good reason. On a campus this size, the only practical place to have large groups of thirsty people party is in the basement or general vicinity of a fraternity. TKE throws the occasional themed party, and those are always the most fun. Black-light parties, foam parties, and toga parties are the most popular. You’ll be well aware of frat parties from the chalked announcements letting you know they’re having another “non-alcoholic event.” Other gatherings on campus are arranged by word of mouth and are usually smaller groups of friends hanging out. You can meet pretty cool people in small get-togethers.
Off campus, parties are bigger, wilder, and you are entirely at the whim of the Normal police. ISU has tenfold the number of parties Wesleyan has on any given weekend, and frats host only a fraction of the parties. While the accessible beverages, women, and general debauchery is greatly increased at ISU, the risk of getting a drinking ticket is almost inevitable. An undercover Normal police officer will walk right up to you, engage in a fulfilling conversation, and then slap cuffs. You won’t see it coming. Of course, upperclassmen don’t have this problem , but the bars in Downtown Bloomington offer refuge to thirsty souls in need of a drink. The bars attract different crowds, so you’ve got to check them out before frequenting any of them. They are as expensive as anywhere else, but Bloomington bartenders make stronger drinks than you get in Chicago.
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:
yesitsme says: Illinois Wesleyan University 2011 Biological and Biomedical Sciences  |
Parties here are fun. ISU is right...
Parties here are fun. ISU is right down the road, so we can go to their parties too without having to suffer through their poor academics. Ha! But, the guys at IWU parties are far less creepy than the ones at other parties. The bars in town are fun, too!
Nightlife: November 30, 2008
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Anonymous says: |
At IWU, all the big houses off...
At IWU, all the big houses off campus have names. There’s Third Base, the Maze, Guitar House, the Brokedown Palace, the Porch. It’s cool because it feels like an exclusive community that only we have access to. Also, no one knows street names! |
Anonymous says: |
Unless organized by a frat,...
Unless organized by a frat, parties on campus are usually more like get-togethers, or smaller groups of friends hanging out. There are some decent bars downtown. Mugsy’s is a campus favorite. I frequent Maguire’s and Rhino’s. |
Anonymous says: |
Wesleyan kids party like its 1999...
Wesleyan kids party like its 1999 . . . still. ISU has better parties, and the bars are always entertaining. Rosie’s has a relaxed atmosphere. |
Anonymous says: |
The parties on campus are a lot of...
The parties on campus are a lot of fun. There are usually a few to choose from, so you can pick who you would enjoy being with. |
Interested in
Illinois Wesleyan? FactsClub Crawler
There are no clubs, per se, in Bloomington. Plenty of bars host dance nights, which are usually hip-hop oriented. Techno gets minimal play at the bars in Bloomington.
Organization Parties
Academic departments host colloquiums and holiday events, but these hardly qualify as parties. The best organized party of the year is the Mariachi Dance hosted by the Latino Student Organization. Also popular is the notorious Transvestite’s Ball, which is a fashion show and dance all to the tune of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Bar Listings
Elroy’s is a large sports bar with an open two-story layout, big-screen TVs, and projection screens all around. Booths and tables in every direction surround a large bar in the middle. A loft area is great for groups of friends to congregate, undisturbed by the other patrons. The food is decent, and pitchers are cheap. An outdoor beer garden is especially enjoyable as the weather turns warmer. Elroy’s 513 N. Main St. Downtown Bloomington (309) 821-9222
Fat Jack’s is an ever-popular draw among both the younger and older crowds, the latter dispersing right around the time the former arrive. Boasting the most square feet of any downtown facility, Fat Jack’s has three bars, a dance floor, a lounge with couches and tables, a stage near the main entrance, and a billiards room in back. The only drawback is that the bar is almost always impossibly crowded. If you don’t mind squeezing between friends to wait for a drink, Fat Jack’s is the place for you. Fat Jack’s 511 N. Main St. Downtown Bloomington (309) 821-9222
Mugsy’s is a really popular place among Illinois Wesleyan students. The closest bar to campus, students congregate for a drink or a bite to eat almost every day of the week. Tuesday night specials on wings are a big draw, as are the decently-priced pitchers. Although a popular attraction, most people only hang around for a while before venturing downtown. Mugsy’s Pub 1310 N. Main St. Bloomington (309) 827-2628
Rhino’s is one of the more established bars in downtown Bloomington, drawing regular patrons and locals as well as groups of students. Salsa night is a huge draw, with great music, drink specials, and an especially diverse and talented crowd. Rhino’s is the place to go if you want to get away from the usual bar scene and meet some people you might not otherwise. Rhino’s 602 N. Main St. Downtown Bloomington (309) 829-5926
Rosie’s is a low-key, quieter place to chill, but is filled to capacity most nights on the weekend. The kitchen offers amazing meals served in the adjoining restaurant or right at the bar. Daily drink specials aren’t exactly cheap, but every drink is made by some of the most professional bartenders in the area. Don’t be surprised if you run into a couple local celebrities mingling among the young professionals and students. Rosie’s Pub 106 E. Front St. Downtown Bloomington (309) 827-7019
The Illinois Brewing Company has long been a staple of downtown Bloomington among locals and students alike. The spacious pub has a lounge with billiards and darts, a huge wraparound bar, and a lofted stage in the back. IBC regularly hosts a wide variety of music, with everything from rock to country to the sometimes unclassifiable. The crowd is best on show nights when everyone is excited and lively but can otherwise be dominated by groups of locals. Illinois Brewing Company 102 N. Center St. Ste. 111 Downtown Bloomington
What to Do if You're Not 21
Reality Bites regularly hosts shows at which alcohol is served, but you needn’t be 21 to get in. The Coffeehouse is a vegetarian deli in downtown Normal that hosts local rock shows, poetry readings, and small-scale plays.
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