Party Sober and “Awake”

EVERYONE IS A DESIGNATED DRIVER –

Dec. 23, 2021 – Alcohol is ingrained in our society and socially acceptable at most events. During the holidays, drinking is almost a given. There’s the Christmas cocktails, coquito, spiked hot chocolate and the popping of champagne for the new year.

A 2019 Denver Public Health survey showed that more than one in four Denver adults, about 27%, binge drinks. In 2018, about 30,000 people came to Denver Health emergency rooms for a substance-abuse issue and about 36% were due to alcohol abuse. Also in 2018, 38% of fatal crashes in Denver involved alcohol.

So, during that holiday party, what happens if you’re practicing sobriety? In recovery? What happens if you’re just sober-curious? The bar is owned by Christy and Billy Wynne. Bohemian eyes line the back wall, which is filled with bottles of spirits and wines, all zero-proof. The couple decided that alcohol no longer served them, so instead of treating it as a loss, they opened the bar.

“There’s an underlying assumption that something’s wrong or that it’s this sad thing when someone quits drinking,” Billy said.