'Father's Eve' created in St. Paul garage is now a nationwide dad's night out

Father's Day is officially Sunday, but "Father's Eve" happens the night before — a night out for dads to celebrate with each other.

So says Father's Eve founder, John Francis, who accidentally created the event in his St. Paul garage in 2012. At the time, he thought he'd just throw a low-key party to christen his newly built addition with some buddies, cigars and beer.

"We're learning that dads are more important than ever and more involved than ever," Francis said. "It's like fatherhood 2.0 and Father's Eve is about celebrating the new role that dads play."

Other dads must feel similarly, because Father's Eve has grown — and grown fast. What started as a casual get-together with fellow dads in Minnesota has exploded to 42 official events all over the country with sponsors like Budweiser and Baby Bjorn.

Dads in Austin, Texas, will gather at a restaurant, while dads in St. Louis will celebrate with a golf tournament. In the Twin Cities, hundreds of dads are expected to attend an event at O'Garas in St. Paul for a night of competitive games, food and "manly" door prizes. There will be live cigar rolling and hammerschlagen.

Father's Eve is more than beers and bros, though, Francis says.

"It's a way for dads to spend time together, talking about how to be better fathers, supporting each other through parenting challenges, all while doing some good for the community," he said.

This year, a portion of the money raised from the Twin Cities event will go toward a local Minnesota initiative called "The Father Project" that helps fathers support their families economically and emotionally.

For more about Father's Eve, read this.

IF YOU GO
Event: Father's Eve.
Date: Saturday, June 17.
Time: 6:30-11 p.m.
Location: O'Gara's Bar and Grill. 164 Snelling Av. N., St. Paul.
Tickets: $20, includes food and a beverage, a raffle ticket, and beer, wine and liquor tasting. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fathers-eve-2017-saint-paul-mn-tickets-33637345205