‘It’s a special moment’: How Pitt students are celebrating their 21st birthdays

Each semester, a new batch of 21-year-olds is able to drink legally and celebrate at Oakland’s local bars.
Pitt has many 21st birthday traditions, ranging from a first visit to Hemingway’s Cafe to a free koozie at Gene’s Place. Whether they’re going out with friends or throwing a house party, students are celebrating their 21st birthdays with enthusiasm.

Mariya Dempsey, a junior English writing major, turned 21 during Winter Storm Fern on Jan. 25. However, the 11 inches of snow didn’t stop her birthday festivities.

“I had a ‘Euphoria’ themed birthday party at my apartment,” Dempsey said. “After that, we went to a Carnegie Mellon white boy wasted party. It was really fun — I drank a lot.”

Dempsey is excited to go to 21-plus spaces.

“It makes me feel really grown up to get carded,” Dempsey said. “I’m excited if I go to a restaurant, and if [a drink] is alcoholic, I can have it. I also want to go to a speakeasy and a jazz club.”

Amelia Stilley, a junior communications and public and professional writing major, is looking forward to her birthday on March 7. She is having a joint birthday party with her friend, who turns 21 the week before.

“It’s going to be Vegas themed,” Stilley said. “I’m really excited. One of our friends is doing a whole banner. We’re getting fun gold, red and black dresses.”

Owen Grimaldi, a sophomore Japanese and finance major, turned 21 on June 12. However, Grimaldi doesn’t view turning 21 as a big deal.

“Being 21 is not really momentous,” Grimaldi said. “It’s only momentous if you like alcohol or illicit drugs. Other than that, being 21 is the same thing as being 18, except you have more responsibility.”

Grimaldi still celebrated his 21st birthday at Hemingway’s, a local bar, with friends. According to John Elavsky, owner of Hemingway’s, many people go to the bar when they turn 21 and buy the “I think I spent my 21st birthday at Hemingway’s” shirt.

“We’d have stacks of birthday shirts — we went through a lot,” Elavsky said. “Beer companies would help us out and brand the shirts with Miller Light or IC Light or Coors Light. That was our little claim to fame.”

Hemingway’s will be closing its doors on May 3. After announcing the bar’s closure, many people reached out to tell Elavsky about pivotal moments they celebrated there, including turning 21. According to Elavsky, going to Hemingway’s for the first time is a special moment for many students. 

“We heavily carded,” Elavsky said. “My people at the door did a heck of a job carding for years. One of the reasons we did well on 21st birthdays is because it meant something to get into Hemingway’s on your 21st. Kids couldn’t wait to be 21 so they could come in.”

Many 21 year olds also spend their birthday at Gene’s Place, another popular Oakland bar. According to Gene Ney, owner of Gene’s, a few 21 year olds come in every night of the week to celebrate their birthday.

“If you want to be a drinker, you’ll come out for your 21st birthday,” Ney said. “It’s a very special moment when you can now become legal and get served.”

According to Ney, Gene’s gives out free koozies and rubber bracelets for 21st birthdays. However, this wasn’t always the only birthday tradition at the bar.

“We used to have what we called ‘the birthday shot’,” Ney said. “We don’t do that anymore because it didn’t taste very good, and people didn’t want to come back, but some people still order them.”

There is one 21st birthday Pitt tradition Ney witnesses but doesn’t understand — pre-gaming.

“There have been times when people have gotten here to celebrate their birthday, they’ve had too much to drink and we’ve had to turn them away,” Ney said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me — the very first night you can legally go out and drink — why you’re pre-gaming before you go.”

Students aren’t the only ones who experience a special moment during their first legal drink, according to Ney.

“When I’m bartending and somebody comes in to celebrate their 21st birthday, for me, it’s a special moment too because it’s a turning point in their life, and I’ve been a part of that,” Ney said. “We wish everybody a very safe 21st birthday.”