Wharf Rats are a group ofconcert-goers who have chosen to livedrug andalcohol-free. They arose out of the environment around the rock group theGrateful Dead and their followers theDeadheads, both of which were rooted in the drug-embracingcounterculture of the 1960s.[1]
Their primary purpose is to support other concert goers who choose to live drug-free, like themselves. They announce their presence with yellow balloons, signs, and the Wharf Rats information table. At a set break during Grateful Dead (and related) concerts they hold self-help style meetings but are not affiliated specifically with anytwelve-step organization and have no requirement for attendance at one of their meetings besides providing some helpful drug free fellowship.[2] Like Deadheads, members of Wharf Rats come from all walks of life.[3] By 1990, the Wharf Rats mailing list had some 3,000 names.[1]
The Wharf Rats began during the early 1980s[2] as a group of Deadheads under the name "The Wharf Rat Group of Alcoholics Anonymous". The Wharf Rats originally came from a small group ofNarcotics Anonymous members who went to a Grateful Dead concert in Philadelphia and located each other by their yellow balloons with the NA symbol drawn on in Magic Marker.[4] However due to operational differences they soon split off from Narcotics Anonymous, and are not affiliated with them, AA, or any othertwelve-step program (though many of members of the Wharf Rats are members of AA, NA or other 12-step programs). The Wharf Rats see themselves as "a group of friends sharing a common bond, providing support, information and some traction in an otherwise slippery environment." The relationship between the Wharf Rats and more traditional such groups has been studied in the academic journalDeviant Behavior.[1]
While the Wharf Rats originated at Grateful Dead concerts, they now have a presence at other concerts as well. Similar groups include The Phellowship forPhish, The Gateway forWidespread Panic, The Jellyfish forThe String Cheese Incident, Much Obliged forUmphrey's McGee, Happy Hour Heroes formoe., the Digital Buddhas forThe Disco Biscuits, Better Than Before forThe Werks, the Hummingbirds forBassnectar, and the Sunny Bunny Recovery forWeen, Dustie Baggies forBilly Strings and The Hot Tea Party forGoose—all based on the Wharf Rats, which remain the best-known.[2]
The name of this group comes from the 1971 Dead song "Wharf Rat" (written byJerry Garcia andRobert Hunter and appearing onSkull & Roses), which contains the self-told story of August West, a down-and-out docksidewino.[5] By at least one interpretation, the song was aimed partly at Deadheads.[5]
