by Debbi | Apr 22, 2012 | Downtown, Events
Last Wednesday featured another successful Kansas Relays shot put event in downtown Lawrence!
An estimated 3,500 people flooded the streets to see world-class shot putters compete. The bar itself was rather empty during the competition. The weather was beautiful and we had a bar set up outside, so there wasn't much reason for people to be inside. A small group gathered upstairs in our beach to watch out the windows. Here's a picture from the second floor of the Sandbar:
Another small group, mostly our staff members and their significant others as well as some local photographers, gathered on the roof. Here's what the view looked like from up there:
It's really amazing how the city crews can get everything set up and torn down in one day. According to the local paper, a lot of the materials will be recyced and used along the river trails. (I would link you to the article with more details, but I can't find it on their site at the moment.)
The next night, the women's long jump was held on 8th Street on the other side of Massachusetts. The crowd wasn't as large, but it was still really fun.
We definitely hope the city and KU Athletics continue holding this event downtown. It's a great activity for families and is something unique for our town. The only thing that could make it better? Bring the pole vault downtown!
by Debbi | Apr 16, 2012 | Downtown, Events
One of our favorite events from last year, the Kansas Relays shot put, is coming back this week!
Join us this Wednesday on our block- 8th St. between Mass and New Hampshire- for a fun time. Officials will set up a throwing area, platform and spectator viewing area during the day. The shot put event will begin at 6 p.m. and it's pretty much right in front of the Sandbar.
Some of the top throwers in the world will participate, and there will be prizes and inflatable games for kids.
We're also pulling out our St. Patrick's Day float and setting it up as a stage for several bands- the Magentlemen for sure, and maybe another one- to play after the event.
Alcohol will be allowed in the street (only on that particular block, not all over downtown) and a bar will be set up outside.
Don't miss this! It's one of the marquee events of the 85th annual Kansas Relays. Come back downtown on Thursday for the long jump event, also on 8th Street on the other side of Mass, and head to Memorial Stadium this weekend for additional track and field events. And the world's largest plate of nachos.
Read about last year's shot put event here.
by Debbi | Apr 21, 2011 | Downtown, Events, Newsworthy, Social Media
Moving the Kansas Relays elite shot put event downtown, and more specifically, in front of our building, was pretty much the greatest idea ever.
The weather was great (if just a little bit chilly) and the crowd was estimated at 2,500 people. We were thrilled to be able to watch the shot put area construction right outside our window:
I even taught Dave how to post pictures on Twitter so he could keep Sandbar fans updated with the progress all afternoon. He did a great job!
We set up a trailer and portable bar behind the shot put area. Sandwiches from Sandbar Subs were available, and beer was allowed in the street. Our patio was full all night. The shot put event only lasted about an hour, which is shorter than we expected, but it brought out a great crowd for an event that most people have probably never seen before.
The shot putters were great, too. They stuck around all evening, signing autographs and taking pictures and maybe even putting a few shots somewhere else.
Here's a few pictures from our friends Wendy and Phil:
The night was a huge success!
Here are a couple other cool things to check out:
Nick Krug from the Lawrence Journal-World made an amazing time-lapse video of the entire event, including construction. His camera was on our roof.
Our Twitter buddies at Larryville Life wrote a recap of their shot put experience.
Dave was interviewed by the Kansas City Star on the roof of the bar. And by interviewed, we mean asked one question.
We wish we could keep the sand triangle. Who needs a street? As our Twitter friend @fxdgear said "Not me! Just a swimsuit, flippy-floppies and a drink with an umbrella!" We couldn't agree more.
by Debbi | Apr 19, 2011 | Downtown, Events, Social Media
We're really looking forward to the Kansas Relays and the elite shot put event that takes place downtown tomorrow. The lines have been drawn on the street, and tomorrow morning they'll start setting everything up.
Here's a little bit about what will happen:
- The competition begins at 6 p.m. There's a field of eight throwers, who are all ranked in the top 25 in the world. The fact that these guys are elite professionals makes us feel a little better about the safety of our patrons. And our windows.
- The shot put weighs 16 pounds. Some of you could probably barely lift that, let alone throw it 70 feet.
- The event requires 18 dump-truck loads of crushed limestone so that the shot put doesn't break the street. We're kind of intrigued to see how long it takes to haul all of that away.
- There will be beer in the street. We'll be selling canned beer for $3 and Shark Attacks for $4. You still have to be 21 to drink and be prepared to show two forms of ID.
- Our friends from Richards Music next door have a band, and they'll be playing some music outside after the shot put event.
- We're also hosting a monthly Lawrence Tweetup tomorrow night, so there will be lots of folks on their smartphones, tweeting and Facebooking.
We're excited to see how this event goes! What a great event for downtown Lawrence. Apparently, this is the first time a shot put competition has been held on city streets in the United States. We're hoping for a great turnout so that Kansas Relays will continue bringing events downtown.
*Some of the details in this post were provided by this article on KUSports.com.
