WATERLOO - From furry rabbits' feet to a mystical fortune teller, luck took many different forms in downtown Waterloo Saturday.

A record number of people braved a chilly January evening to experience Waterloo night life in the Lucky U'Loo Downtown Pub Crawl. The 360 enthusiastic crawlers boarded six school buses and visited eight downtown bars during the event, the fourteenth pub crawl sponsored by Main Street Waterloo.

In the spirit of the theme, buses were named after famous Las Vegas casinos, including Golden Nugget and The Pink Flamingo, and games and activities were held at each bar. At the Embassy Lounge, televised poker watchers had a chance to play like their favorite celebrities, participating in a unique version of Texas Hold 'Em. Crawlers received three cards, while the dealer drew two. Then, everyone paired up in an effort to get the best hand of the night.

A brightly colored wheel bearing the words "Slot Mania" took up residence for an evening at the Tequila Club. And, if the night didn't prove lucky for some, they had the chance to look into a brighter future at Shad's Place courtesy of Madame Dulcenia's tarot card readings.

On her first pub crawl, Bethany Benedict learned her future holds both great opportunity and the promise of being reunited with old acquaintances.

"It's a lot of fun," Benedict says. "I'll definitely come back."

The first stop for those on the Bellagio bus was The Metro Bar, where crawlers munched on free hot dogs and nachos while enjoying a drag show. Performers expertly lip-synched everything from Whitney Houston to Britney Spears hits. First-timers at the Metro wasted no time getting into the spirit of the show, offering dollar bills to the performers on stage.

The Metro and the Tequila Club, a Hispanic bar, gave participants a peek at the diversity the downtown area offers. Terry Poe Buschkamp, event organizer and executive director at Main Street Waterloo, says Waterloo is a truly international city. In recent years, both Hispanic and Bosnian establishments have sprung up downtown, and Buschkamp believes the event taps into the area's multicultural feel .

"I didn't even know there was a bar here," Marissa Maas, 25, says of the Metro. Maas, along with many others, expressed an interest to come back to the Metro and other pub crawl bars without the aid of a bus.

Chuck Ohl, owner of the Metro, appreciates the exposure the pub crawl brings. "There are some bad ideas out there about the bar. It's a chance for people to see what we're about," Ohl says.

Buschkamp says downtown establishments appreciate the business a pub crawl brings, and Waterloo residents hunger for exciting events after the warmth of summer's Friday'Loo concerts end.

"It's one of the best things Waterloo can do for downtown," says Shad Shadwell, owner of Shad's Place. "We pick up a lot of business (from the crawl)."

As the night wore on, a friendly rivalry ensued between buses. On the Bellagio, crawler Mike Adams rallied the riders, proclaiming, "We have the best bus! And the best bus driver!" The newly-crowned "best driver" was Michelle Jennings, a school bus driver for Central Middle School. She earned her title, keeping the crawl on schedule throughout the night.

Each stop on the tour was met with cheers, and as the whistle blew at the end of each visit, signaling the time to reboard the bus, riders adopted a "leave no man behind" attitude. News of the Bellagio's camaraderie seemed to spread, bringing more passengers as the night wore on.

The night came to a close at the Spot, where crawlers were invited to wind down with some dancing. Those who held out for the entire trip went home with a souvenir - a Lucky U'Loo T-shirt. Whether crawlers walked away with a deck of cards from the Slot Mania machine or a new friendship, the crawl stuck with its theme to the end.

Those interested in the next pub crawl will have to wait until April to get in on the next theme. For more information and tickets, contact the Main Street Waterloo office at 291-2038.