President Barack Obama delivers his last State of the Union speech. (Photo by Larry Downing-Pool/Getty Images)
It’s that time again: Where bars that would normally dedicate all of their flatscreen TVs to hockey or basketball games are playing the State of the Union. Because the President’s annual speech about how good (bad?) everything is going in America hasn’t been a stay-at-home affair in some time.
Local pubs have realized that it’s become a perfectly good excuse for a social (re: drinking) event, and thus we’ve got a list below of places hosting watch parties. If you know of any other State of the Union watching events, email us.
All five of the Busboys & Poets locations will hold State of the Union Watch parties at 8 p.m., but the City Vista location at 5th & K Streets NW, will host a post-speech discussion afterwards led by IMPACT-DC.
The State of the Union Watch Party at 8 p.m. will apparently not interrupt the Silver Spring brewery’s regularly scheduled trivia.
Denizens is located at 1115 East-West Highway in Silver Spring, Md.
The sixth annual watching party, hosted by Network For Progress, will have all sorts of goodies: Pizza, a raffle, a straw poll, and a DNC suggestion box. For those who don’t RSVP by 5 p.m., there will be a suggested donation of $10 at the door. There will be folks there as early as 7 p.m. to start the raffle.
Local 16 is located at 1602 U Street NW.
GLASS Caucus will convene in the Pub room on the second floor at 8:30 p.m. for their fourth annual watching party.
Nellie’s is located at 900 U Street NW.
The Returned Peace Corps Veterans of Washington D.C. will host the State of the Union Happy Hour at 8 p.m. in the massive room usually reserved for game watching (or game playing).
Penn Social is located at 801 E Street NW.
The Penn Quarter gastropub is becoming a reliable SOTU watching hotspot and the party will last from 8-10 p.m. You can find out more about tonight’s festivities by emailing the bar directly.
Redline is located at 707 G Street NW.
All seven screens at this H Street bar will be tuned into the address. They’re also boasting games during the speech, a supply of Bullfrog Bagels and a kitchen that’s open until midnight, long after the speech is over. Festivities start at 8 p.m.
Star & Shamrock is located at 1341 H Street NE.
This is the Adams Morgan sports bar’s 10th State of the Union party, and they’re living proof that SOTU drinking games can exist outside of college living rooms. Pick a word and if the president says that word, you’ll get a $1 jello shot. Choose your word wisely.
Ventnor is located at 2411 18th Street NW.
