18th Annual Cooler Crew Pre-Dig Gig
Saturday January 23, 2016
Joseph's Grill (in the banquet room)
140 South Wabasha Street
Saint Paul, MN 55107
6pm-close
The 18th annual Cooler Crew Pre-Dig Gig will be once again held at Joseph's Grill, in the banquet room, on Wabasha. It's hard to believe that another cooler year has come and gone already. If "tradition" holds, we'll already have clue 1 from the early editions of the paper, long before its official release. Plus things should be made more interesting this year with Ma Press's announcement that it will be transitioning production of the paper to a contract with the Star Tribune's printing presses.
The festivities begin at 6pm. Once again, we do have to spend $500 in food and drink at Joseph's for the room; with this group that won't be a problem though. We're working out a schedule of when we expect to take group pictures, and have the park pick pool and all the other events you've come to expect from the Pre-Dig Gig. We're certain though that noodling the first clue will be going on all night, with more wild ideas coming as the evening progresses.
We are pleased to announce the 14th Annual Pre-Dig Gig. After several years of being around the city of Saint Paul, the pre-dig is moving back downtown.
American Burger Bar
Saturday, January 21, 2012
354 Wabasha Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55102-1418
(651) 222-2123
Time: 6pm - close
The 2012 Predig will be held at American Burger Bar on Saturday, January 21. We have the Library room, which has seating for 45, reserved all night starting at 6. The crowds should thin out when the Wild game starts, so we will not be confined just our room. For those who remember the 2008 predig at Matty B's, the Library is the same room we used then. We are still working on drink specials, their happy hour starts at 10:30, but it sounds like we will be able to get some kind of deal all night for those wearing cooler crew buttons. Also, ABB validates parking in the Victory Ramp. Because it will be a game night, you will have to pay when you enter the ramp, but you will get your money back upon exiting. More details on drink specials as soon as I get more info!
Plus, we'll have a DJ, the park pick pool, and all the other stuff you've expected to come from a Pre-Dig Gig.
Thanks to BFG and Katsmeow for organizing this year's party!
The Cooler Crew is pleased to announce the 13th Annual, 2011 Winter Carnival Treasure Hunt Pre-Dig Gig. The Pre-Dig Gig will be held this year at Yarusso Brothers' Italian Restaurant. Yarusso's will be providing a buffet dinner, with the following costs: $5 for any treasure hunter group button (including, but not limited to, Cooler Crew Buttons), $8 with a Winter Carnival Button, or $10 with no button. Buttons of all sorts will be available for sale on site the night of the event, so there's no excuse for paying more than $8 to eat. In addition, they will be providing heated tents on the patio in case we overflow the restaurant. Oh yeah, and there will be happy hour drink specials all night long. Rockin' DJ Lilman will be spinning tunes all night long.
If you're a newcomer, Meet the Crew, print off the page, and put some names with some faces at the party!
This year's event brings in a new twist. The Pre-Dig Gig is an official Winter Carnival event, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Saint Paul Heritage and Festival Foundation, and the St. Paul Parks and Rec Department (which ultimately benefits us all as hunters).
Yarusso Brothers Restaurant
Saturday, January 22, 2011
635 Payne Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55106
(651) 776-4848
Time: 6pm - close
As the holidays arrive and 2010 comes to a close, some of us are reminded that the 2011 Treasure Hunt is just around the corner. Planning for the 2011 Pre-Dig Gig is already in the works. Stay tuned here for information about that and other Cooler Crew gatherings during and after the hunt. Rumor has it that the pre-dig is going to become an official Winter Carnival event this year.
In addition to joining us on our discussion boards, you may also want to join us on our Facebook group.
Also, you may have noticed that the non-holiday logo has been changed:
Thanks go to to Big G for designing it a few years back. We think its a more modern look on a classic theme, and hope you do too.
I'm afraid some personal matters at home have kept me from promoting this hunt
more or earlier, but the hunt will go on and in fact it will start tomorrow
(Friday). Clues are written, the medallion is hidden, and there will be prize
money to be won.
The kickoff for the hunt will be Friday, March 12th at Yarusso's this year.
They've offered us half price on appetizerrs and drinks and their private room
for our use. We'll meet starting at 5pm and the clue will be released at 6pm.
After that, stick around and socialize and maybe some other activity will even
follow, or perhaps you'll want to run out and look for the treasure! If you're
not familiar with Yarusso's, it is on Payne Ave. across from Swede Hollow.
Check out their website at http://www.yarussos.com/ for more information.
As for the hunt itself, it will be 12 clues as usual, one per day with each clue
released at 6pm. The hunt is limited to public property in St. Paul. It will
not be hidden in or on water, up a tree, on top of a building, on a steep
hillside, inside anything electrical, or in anything else that would make you
question if looking there might be a bad idea.
The prize will be somewhere between $200 and $500 depending on participation.
If you'd like to participate as a registered hunter, the cost is $10 and you are
eligible to win the entire prize. All money brought in this way will go towards
the prize. If you wish to participate as a non-registered hunter and you win,
you will get $100 and any additional registration money will go towards some
other Cooler Crew cause.
To register, you can pay me at the kickoff event. If you can't make that, you
can also send me the money via Paypal at this email or you can request an
address to send a check to. You may register up through the release of the 4th
clue. The hunt will continue until the treasure is found, though I do reserve
the right to end the hunt early if there is cause to do so. In the unlikely
event of an aborted hunt, registration fees will be returned.
I believe that covers everything, but if there are any questions, feel free to
post them.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Obb's Sports Bar and Grill
Downstairs
1347 Burns Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55106
7:00pm til Close
Once again Obb's is the place for the annual pre-dig gig. Stop by, have a few libations or even dinner, discuss the first clue which will inevitably be in the early edition of the paper again.
Despite rumors that you may have heard this event is completely free of charge.
Lilman has once again generously offered to bring his DJ setup and spin discs for tips in the basement.
*MOM* will have the annual Cooler Crew buttons available for a dollar a piece.
Thanks to CM for making all of this year's arrangements!
January 17, 2009
Obb's Sports Bar and Grill
Saint Paul
We've made it. Ten years ago, give or take a few days, we held the very first Cooler Crew Pre-Dig Gig at McGovern's. Tonight, we held the eleventh annual Pre-Dig Gig at Obb's. Over the course of the evening, somewhere between 150 and 200 people came through the doors.
Originally planned for Matty B's, the party was moved on the last minute to Obb's, who were more than accomodating. With the Pioneer Press publishing the first clue online and in the early Sunday edition of the newspaper, being downtown isn't really necessary anymore, since we all have the clue going in and don't need to go to the paper to get it.
As usual, Mom and Dad had the annual Cooler Crew buttons; there were plenty of them left over. If you didn't get one and still want one, contact me2. Lilman provided the evening's entertainment from his DJ booth, and there was even a little karaoke going on. For the last several years, Clue Master has orgainzed a park pick pool, and with a $155 total prize for the winner, this year was no exception.
One of the best parts of every pre-dig and every rehash bash, apart from catching up with old friends who we may not otherwise see during the year, is seeing all of the new faces in the crowd. Some of them are long-time lurkers on the boards coming for the first time to hang out. Others are folks who hear about the party and come on in. Despite where any of us comes from, or how we got here, we all share a passion for the hunt.
This year's pre-dig brought a special guest. Kat invited the Winter Carnival President and CEO, Beth Pinkney to the event. As it turns out, we've been relatively unknown to them, almost to the point of being a well-kept secret. Having been involved with getting access to the Carnival royal family in the past, and the difficulties associated with it, it was really good to see Carnival staff come out and mingle with the community that makes the Carnival the success that it is.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Obb's Sports Bar and Grill
Downstairs
1347 Burns Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55106
7:00pm til Close
The Pre-Dig Gig is moving this year!
Last year McGovern's said they were full up and they didn't want us. So we moved the party to Matty B's. This year things were all set to be at Matty B's again, but then they closed up shop a couple of days ago! After much debate and research, the powers that be at the Cooler Crew (don't ask me to explain how that works) have decided to have the Pre Dig at Obbs Bar instead. Obbs is located directly across from Indian Mounds Park near Burns Ave. Since the clue has been coming out earlier in the day, and there is a hockey game that night taking up all the parking, we figured there was really no need to limit ourselves to downtown for this particular event. A lot of people had a good experience with Obbs during last year's hunt, they have a private room downstairs, and they're willing to offer us specials for the event, and so it was settled. Do note however that the specials are only good downstairs so don't ask for the same deal upstairs or the other bar patrons may be inspired to crash our party.
As for the nightly gatherings, there really isn't any other bar that's as convenient. When the Rockin Lobster closed just before the hunt a couple of years ago, we ended up meeting at the Great Waters Brewery. Some people got disenchanted with it though because it was set up to be a restaurant, not a bar, and they didn't deal well with people milling about. Consequently the concensus for the nightly gathering seems to be building towards Wild Thymes, right across the street from Great Waters. It's about a four and a half block walk to the paper from there. Some others have suggested a place called the Bulldog in Lowertown. It would be a six and a half block walk from there. But they do have a late night happy hour after 11. Check it out at The Bulldog.
So anyway, that's where the plan stands at the moment for anyone that enjoys the social side of the hunt. Feel free to come out and join us. I'm the one in the black hat and black leather coat.
Thanks to Kat and CM for handling all of this year's arrangements!
Kickoff Party
Fabulous Fern's
Saturday, March 1, 2008
In the bar area
400 Selby Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 225-9414
Well since you mentioned it, let me give the details on what will be the 9th annual (and original!) Mock Hunt (so named because it came between the Medallion Hunt and the Fitgers Bock Hunt, Medallion + Bock = Mock).
This year's Mock Hunt will start on Saturday, March 1st. Clues will come out daily at 6pm on the Allison Wonderland Yahoo group (and will likely be crossposted elsewhere). The rules are largely similar to the Pioneer Press Medallion Hunt with a few differences:
There will be a kickoff party at Fabulous Fern's from 5-8pm on Saturday the 1st in the bar area. You can register at that time. You can also register by Paypal or by check up until the time of the 4th clue. Send me a message if you wish to do so.
I anticipate good participation this year so face the challenge of going up against other hunters and see if you can be the one to claim the prize this year!