CINCINNATI — The day before Thanksgiving has a few nicknames. One of them is "Blackout Wednesday."
Some consider the day before Thanksgiving to be the biggest night out of the year. In turn, law enforcement said it can be one of the most dangerous times to be on the road.
"It's the busiest bar night of the year, historically," said Adam Mitchell, Japp's general manager. "We always like to provide a safe space for people to come have social experiences, have a nice time with friends."
Mitchell described the night as a Cincinnati homecoming.
"You have to up the staff, you have to up the security, to keep everyone safe," Mitchell said. "We always like to provide a safe space for people to come have social experiences, have a nice time with friends."
For those out and about, the responsibilities also include making sure they have a safe ride home in case they've had too much to drink.
From Nov. 23-27 of last year, Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested 278 people for OVI. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration calls the Thanksgiving holiday stretch the deadliest holiday for U.S. roadways.
OSHP announced Tuesday it is looking to reduce fatal crashes this Thanksgiving with troopers enforcing "safe driving," looking to see who is not wearing a seatbelt and cracking down on impaired drivers.
Outside of driving, there's also always a chance of crime with so many people out. Just 24 hours before the night's festivities, there were two fatal shootings in Over-the-Rhine. Mitchell said he and his staff are aware of both of those shootings, as well as the 27 recorded shootings and 19 shooting victims throughout the year, per Cincy Insights.
"There was a situation, maybe a year ago, when there was a shooting down the street, and people were seeking refuge in here, and we were letting people in, they were kind of hiding in here," said Mitchell. "It's about crisis management, it's about training."
This year marks the first Wednesday before Thanksgiving for Red Leprechaun, located in The Banks. It's also in an area not immune to shootings this year. Cincy Insights reported seven non-fatal shootings in and around The Banks, with eight people shot since mid-June.
"I don't think it's been a concern, you know, we have meetings with The Banks committee, with the police officers ... everybody is doing their part to do as best as they can," said David Wohlfeil, co-owner of Red Leprechaun. "We do our best to control what we can control inside the bar, unfortunately in America, you know, cities in America, there's problems all over."
While those crime stats may be alarming for some, it did not deter those going out Wednesday night.
"I'm always going to be aware of my surroundings, but I always feel safe enough to be able to go out on the streets," said patron Ashli Sheldon.
Watch Live:
