Montana’s Blackout Wednesday: The Wild Thanksgiving Eve You Forgot About

It's the week of Thanksgiving and people are gearing up for the stretchy pants holiday. Sure, the focus is usually on food, family, and a whole lot of leftovers, but there is another tradition many people forget about. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving has actually become one of the biggest drinking days of the entire year. Around the country it is known as Blackout Wednesday or Drinksgiving. And as you know, Montana loves the beverages.

The idea behind it is simple. People head back to their hometowns, reconnect with old friends, and pack into local bars for a little reunion fun. What used to be a casual night out has grown into a full blown event. Some bars around the country report liquor sales jumping over 150%.

But while it sounds fun, this night has also become one of the more dangerous times to be on the road. This stretch of the holiday season has even been nicknamed DUI Season. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2019 and 2023 more than one third of all traffic fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday period were caused by drunk driving. That totaled 868 lives lost.

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Here in Montana, where long drives, rural highways, and winter conditions already add extra risk, this combination can be especially dangerous. If you plan to head out on Wednesday night, make a plan before the fun starts. The whole point of the holiday is spending time with the people you care about, and getting home safely should always be part of the celebration.