New Orleans bar patrons will have the chance to be a part of the Great American Bar Crawl, a nation-wide bar hopping celebration of the United States on Labor Day weekend.

The Great American Bar Crawl will take place at various downtown venues on Sept. 2, starting with registration at Chart Room from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and continuing into the evening.

When the event’s creator, Zach Medford, came up with the idea for the Great American Bar Crawl last summer, he was seeking out something that would help bring people together.

“The presidential election was in full swing,” Medford said. “We wanted to produce an event where people could put away their politics and come together to celebrate everything that makes America great. We come in every, shape, size and color, but one thing unites us: we are all Americans.”

A lot of work went into organizing this event, as Medford and his team travelled to dozens of cities in the process and teamed up with almost 100 bars.

Medford felt overwhelmed by the success of the Great American Bar Crawl in summer 2016, and participation has grown in this second season. He described why the event is important to him.

“Despite what they say on television, deep down I think there is a whole lot more that unites us than divides us. Getting people from all walks of life together to have a beer is our job, and it’s something we take a lot of pride in,” Medford said.

According to the event’s Facebook page, after the recent flooding in southeast Louisiana, the organizers have decided to partner with the NOLA Pay It Forward Fund, a charity focusing on nine different causes for the greater New Orleans area. The $5 from each ticket sale will contribute to flood relief for the impacted communities.

Participating venues include Chart Room, Claire’s Pour House, Industry Bar and Kitchen and Sneaky Pete’s.

Julian Harmon, senior English major, is interested in participating in the event, even though he’s not interested in the theme as much as he is just looking for something to do.

“Bar crawls are always a lot of fun, especially in a city as festive as New Orleans. I don’t even think you need to be a patriot to enjoy a nice drink and an afternoon in the Quarter,” Harmon said.