Binghamton Bar Crawl Draws Thousands Downtown

The annual Binghamton bar crawl attracted a large crowd to a section of State Street downtown.

The block between Court and Hawley streets was closed to vehicles early Thursday afternoon. The closure created traffic congestion on nearby streets.

Many Binghamton University students started their end-of-classes celebrations at establishments on the city's West Side before walking east to the downtown district.

City police officers kept an eye on participants in an effort to assure safety.

The bar crawl traditionally is held on the Thursday before graduation weekend.

The event has generated some controversy in the past. In 2006, then-SUNY chancellor John Ryan told WNBF News that he thought the crawl should be "done away with."

Ryan said he was concerned events like the bar crawl encouraged too much drinking and posed a danger to students.