by Noah Truelove

Dickson Street is considered by many to be the heart of Fayetteville. The street is home to several bars, often patronized by students and their parents on weekdays and especially on weekends. Recently, the Ramble was finished and opened to the public. The Ramble added a new place for people to do homework, read books in the sun, and go out on walks. Dickson is a great place for fostering new connections, whether that be connections with other peers or families.

Safety is a high priority when out with friends, especially if you plan to order alcohol and socialize with others who are drinking. Social mingling, when combined with alcohol, can potentially create a whirlwind of connections, but can also be dangerous if not handled responsibly.

Dani Farish and Lydia Sharpe, both former bartenders on Dickson Street, offered helpful advice in regards to staying safe, as well as the bright sides of the local community.

“Always go out with a friend, always have a plan to get home,” Farish said. “ The scooters are a great addition to Fayetteville, but please know your limits.” She then praises Kingfish for its comfort: “ I love going to Kingfish… I have never been approached there.”

Bringing a responsible group of friends is a great place to start in regards to keeping yourself safe. There is a sense of accountability that comes with bringing responsible like like-minded peers. The strength in numbers can prevent unwanted encounters.

“I worked at a really slow bar [The Collective], but I remember during Pride weekend the place was packed with so many members of the community covered in glitter and rainbows,” Farish said. “It was insane seeing so many people turn out when the bar doesn’t usually pull more than ten people at once. It felt so good to work at a place where others felt comfortable being themselves.”

Pride weekend is one of Fayetteville’s most valuable events. People arrive with light hearts and forget about the weight of their daily lives. Even outside of Pride weekend, Dickson Street still thrives and allows a community to come together to forget about their burdens.

“Interacting with the community as a bartender is often one of the most whirlwind experiences, but can also be one of the more rewarding experiences as well, “ Sharpe said. “ You will have nights where the crowds are rowdy and every time you turn around, someone is getting into mischief. You will have other nights where you make amazing connections with people who will become regulars because of those connections you made with them.”

Sharpe also adds that it is important to keep track of your phone’s battery life and recommends people bring a charger with them.

“When it comes to staying safe when you’re at bars, there are always the usual tips to staying safe: Have a DD [Designated driver], don’t leave your drink unattended, don’t drive drunk, stick together with your group,” Sharpe said. 

There are multiple ways to avoid driving yourself home while intoxicated. There are services such as Uber, Lyft, and the campus scooters. The University of Arkansas offers a Safe Ride service that operates on Monday and Tuesday nights, from 10:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., and services The Cardinal, The Marshall, Ozark Villas, and The Locale. Safe Ride operates Wednesday through Saturday nights from 10:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and provides service to anywhere within Fayetteville city limits.

Cody Yancey, the vendor of Yancey’s Dickson Street Dogs, is known to be a safe place for students as well, and can be found at the corner of Dickson and West.

Being a bartender also puts your ability to make judgment calls and serve responsibly to the test, cutting people off when it is appropriate. An irresponsible server can be liable and held to fines of $100 or more (less than $250 if first offense). Irresponsible serving is considered serving someone underage, or over-serving; serving an already obscenely drunk person excessive alcohol. Second or further violations can result in a Class A misdemeanor (AR Code § 3-3-209 (2024). An establishment can lose a liquor license over an offense as well.

“While your job is to make drinks, your job is to also make sure people are safe and either handling a situation as it arises, or grabbing someone to help diffuse the situation,” said Sharpe. “I always find myself at either Vault or Pinpoint, which are both on the square, when I want to drink, and I have never had issues with either bar. I also feel the same way about Sidecar, even though it’s off the beaten path. I also enjoy Brewskis or Dickson Street Pub.”

Another way to stay safe is to order an “angel shot”. The angel shot is not a shot nor a drink, but a code to let a bartender know you may need help and are stuck in an unfavorable situation. This is often used as a last resort, a last line of defense to get you out of a potentially dangerous situation. Are you on a date that is not working out? Is your date not who they said they were? Are you questioning your safety?

Ordering an angel shot with lime or with a twist is a signal for the bar staff to call the police; on ice or on the rocks signals for the bar staff to call an Uber; and neat or straight up is a signal for the bar staff that you need an escort to your car or a safer place. Angel shots are a great method for practicing subtle safety without sounding the alarm, especially if someone seems dangerous.

Being honest and practicing integrity is also important. Fraudulent identification is a problem on Dickson Street, and is a consequence of large groups where everyone is a different age. It is against the law for a person under the age of 21 to use a fake ID to purchase an alcoholic beverage. A person who violates this law is subject to a Class B misdemeanor, and subsequent offenses are a Class A misdemeanor.

If you are going to go out, whether it is a weekday, weekend or gameday, make sure you conduct yourself with responsibility. It is paramount to do so in order to keep yourself and others safe.