Dx @Dunster Sees Underwhelming Turnout at Inaugural Campus Bar Event

Viral Motions, an event promotions company, launched a new weekly “Campus Bar” event at Dx @Dunster on Thursday night, aiming to create a new go-to spot for undergraduates on Harvard’s campus.

The campus bar was one of several events to which Viral Motions offered students free tickets after the company organized a disastrous Harvard-Yale pregame party on the Royale nightclub in Boston. However, the new campus bar boasted fewer than 50 attendees over the course of its five-hour duration.

Dx @Dunster, which hosted the campus bar, is an entertainment venue located in the Harvard Square shopping center The Garage.

Aaron Lai, a Tufts undergraduate who served as one of the Thursday night event’s DJs, said Viral Motions played a large role in the organization of the new “Campus Bar” event.

“We’re working with a production company tonight. They hired us as the DJs. And basically, this is the first night of what we hope will be a weekly event every Thursday,” Lai said.

According to data obtained by The Crimson, the event received a total of 335 RSVPs, yet only 33 checked in. The tickets for the event were sold through Eventbrite and were free for the first 306 people to RSVP. After that, tickets were sold for $5 online and $10 at the door.

A representative for Viral Motions said the reports of an unenthusiastic turnout were “inaccurate” and declined to comment further.

When asked about the low turnout at the event, Tufts student Annette Cheah said she thinks the main factor was the start of exams season.

“I think it’s just an issue with timing and everyone having finals,” Cheah said. “And I know a lot of my friends didn't want to come out because they have exams.”

Lai expressed his disappointment at the lack of attendance and said it’s “unfortunate that they’re starting during finals period.”

The event directly coincided with the start of reading period for Harvard College students, a week-long break between the end of classes and the start of final exams.

Despite the poor turnout, attendees said they still believe the venue has the potential to become a regular spot for Harvard students.

“I think it had a lot of potential, because I came here a couple weeks ago, and it was decent,” Cheah said.

“I think in the future, maybe spring semester, I think it can get a lot better,” she added.

Dx @Dunster will face competition for the attention of College students from other beloved local bars such as Grendel’s Den, Shay’s Wine Bar, Charlie’s Kitchen, and Grafton Street Pub & Grill. Harvard has not had any school-operated bars since the closure of the Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.

“Harvard really needs their home,” Lai said.

“I go to Tufts. We have the Burren and the pub, and every Thursday, we always go to the Burren,” Lai added, referring to the Somerville bar that has become a hotspot for Tufts students.

Lai was optimistic this Thursday night event could become a regular occurrence for students.

“I think it’s really nice that Harvard is eventually having their own college bar, and that’s really what we want to do,” he added.