O Christmas Tree ... Give me some SHADE!

Halfway to Christmas Bar Crawl Sponsored by Carolina Nightlife

During the miserable, cloying heat of summer, we have something fun and festive to take our minds off the pool of sweat forming in unmentionable places. The Halfway to Christmas Bar Crawl is taking place downtown this weekend, and it is shaping up to be an outstanding night out at some of Charleston's best watering holes.

Sponsored by CarolinaNightLife.com, the bar crawl marks the halfway mark until Christmas and is the first of its type in the area. Charles Wilson, executive director and owner of the Web site, is excited about the event.

"We've done these a lot in Charlotte before," he says, "but this is Charleston's first. It's going to be a real spectacle, and that's the whole idea!"

Wilson first started his online magazine, Carolinanightlife.com, about seven years ago. The headquarters of the operation is in Charlotte.

"One night, I walked into this tiny bar in Charlotte," he explains. "Small bars like that, you know they can't afford much advertising. So then we came up with the idea to start an online magazine, that critiques night life — something the smaller bars could use as PR."

Wilson says that he loves being able to encourage people to enjoy society, which is why he started the project. "I love working with people," he says. "I love the opportunity to go out and meet everyone and to entertain them. You can go on our Web site and see pictures of yourself, and of your friends. It's a great community."

The site eventually went regional and now includes places such as Myrtle Beach, Greenville and, of course, Charleston. "We do a lot of events of this type," says Wilson. "The themes vary, but the crawls are always a good time."

The Web site is undergoing some changes, and Wilson says that in about two weeks, it will look even better.

The bar crawl starts at 7 p.m. Friday at Mad River, and participants can register for it that night. The first 100 to register will receive a Santa hat, and Mad River will serve complimentary hors d'oeuvres to crawlers.

Afterward, the party moves on to The Brick, then Moe's Downtown Tavern, the Griffon, and finishes off with Club Light. The party does not stop until the bars close at 2 a.m.

Other sponsors of the bar crawl include The Charleston Fun Club and the Charleston Jaycees. Partial proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit local charity Camp Happy Days for children who have cancer.

"It's a party with a purpose," says Wilson.

The cost for the crawl is $10. Visit the Web site for more upcoming events.

If you go

What: Halfway to Christmas Bar Crawl by Carolina Nightlife.

When: 7 p.m. Friday-2 a.m. Saturday.

Begins: Mad River Bar & Grille, 32 N. Market St.

Ends: Club Light, 213-C East Bay St.

Tickets: $10, 21 and older only.

More info: 704-516-2674, charleston@carolinanightlife.com and www.carolinanightlife.com.