Blackout Wednesday: The Worrying Trend Ahead Of Thanksgiving

By Marni Rose McFallShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

The term Blackout Wednesday is trending. But what does it mean? This is what to know about the worrying binge drinking trend, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Why It Matters

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays in the country, and people everywhere are baking their pies, stuffing their turkeys, and prepping their favorite sides ahead of the holiday.

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But whether it’s weather warnings, concerns over prices or travel chaos, the holiday season is not without its stresses, and a recent American Psychological Association poll found that nine in ten adults experience at least one major source of holiday stress.

What To Know

It may be in response to holiday stress, or it could be overexcited celebrations, but the lead-up to the holiday season is leading Americans to a worrying place: Blackout Wednesday.

So, what actually is Blackout Wednesday? The so-called Drinksgiving is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and is fast building a reputation for becoming one of the biggest drinking nights of the year in the country, rivalling St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

Whether people are returning home and celebrating or taking a moment to decompress, the bars are filling up fast.

A 2023 study found that in 2022, liquor orders on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving grew by a whopping 156 percent. Sales of beer rose by 85 percent, and cocktail orders surged by 69 percent.

And while Americans are getting ready to celebrate, it’s important to be aware of the risks.

Overconsumption of alcohol can pose multitude health risks. Long-term risks can include liver damage and high blood pressure, while in the short term, you may have to deal with memory loss, vomiting, and depression.

And this heavy drinking night can translate to risks outside of the bars and on the roads. Over 830 people died in car crashes involving a drunk driver during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from 2017 to 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In fact, Blackout Wednesday is one of the deadliest days of the year for drunk driving, and the risk of encountering a drunk driver on Thanksgiving is 55 percent higher than on an average day, according to MoneyGeek.

Ahead of the biggest drinking night of the year, social media users have flocked online to post and debate about Blackout Wednesday.

What People Are Saying

@BeaverBasher67, in a post on X viewed over 90,000 times: “Blackout Wednesday and Thanksgiving day is by far the best 2 day stretch of the entire year.”

@NICKWATTS_ in a post on X viewed over 460,000 times: “Good drinking holidays: - 4th of July - St. Paddy’s - Labor Day Bad drinking holidays: - Blackout Wednesday - New Year’s Eve – Halloween.”