Crawl for the Culture - Third Ward, HTX

Learn about Houston's first black-owned bar crawl, Crawl for the Culture, which took place in Third Ward--a historically-black community in Houston, Texas.

A little over a week ago on a beautiful spring Saturday, I took to the streets of Third Ward, Houston, Texas with over 300 people in a bar crawl focused on black-owned businesses in the area. If you've been a Dash of Jazz reader for any length of time then you probably know I love Houston,  good food and drinks, and supporting black-owned businesses. So buying my ticket for #CrawlfortheCulture was a no brainer. It also didn't hurt that the guys behind the event are friends of mine!

Through word of mouth and grassroots promotion, the crawl sold out twice but, despite a massive turnout, was well-organized. Upon arrival, each participant received a survival kit of sorts with a commemorative t-shirt and shot glass, tokens to exchange for a beverage at each stop (four in total), and BC Powder. After a morning spent hydrating and eating a sensible breakfast, I was ready to relive my glory days and had no time for the prospect of a headache so my friends and I downed our BC Powder pretty quickly. We kicked things off at Scrappy Brown's with a limited brunch menu, mimosas, and the Gentrified cocktail on tap. Scrappy Brown's has delicious drinks named after the historic surrounding area, which is undergoing some changes (hence, the title of Saturday's cocktail). My most favorite drink is The Southmore, which I wrote about here, along with one of the best burger and fry meals I've ever had in life!

Bar 5015 was the second stop. I usually visit 5015 for Sunday brunch to enjoy kitchen creations like shrimp & grits from Etta's and DJ Big Reeks' sounds. It did not disappoint as our second stop on the crawl and I traded in one of my tokens for a Lucky Leprechaun shot.

Photo by Chef Vicky V

Sapphire Bar & Lounge was third on this list and the only place I hadn't visited before. Of the four spots, Sapphire had the most night club-like atmosphere and the drinks were strong. My friend Erika has more details on this stop on her blog Black Girls Who Brunch.

Our final stop was Live Oak, where Chef Javani King helped mastermind the menu. I previously shared my experience with his unique offerings in this post. There was music at every stop but things ended here with a full on day party, which, if you weren't already satisfied, definitely ensured you got your money's worth! The minds behind #CrawlfortheCulture are three young transplants to Houston. Desmond Hall, Trent Johnson, and Michael Yates II came together to create a social experience in support of black-owned businesses.

"The Crawl for the Culture came about because Yates, Trent, and myself were wondering why black folks don't come together to patronize a historically black area en masse. We genuinely want our people to flourish and do well, so we understood that economic empowerment is one of the best ways to advance our people. What we want to do is go around the country, and, hopefully, worldwide to share our vision." -Desmond Hall

I can't wait for the next event and would love to see some of your faces there if you're local! Let me know if you have any questions below. Thanks for reading!