Hello Dragonfly. Sorry that you didn't have a good long weekend. No need to apologize for being long winded.
I know that you weren't camped at the same place I was because I would have noticed the beagle puppy. (beagles are either great or a pain in the butt, depending on the owner, but the puppies are always cute)
I can't stand being around drunks much anymore, partly because I too have had to quit drinking due to my meds, but I never could stand loud obnoxius drunks.
I never trust any dog, when they are in an environment they are not used to(not even my own dog and she's as gentle as they come). Dogs do protect territory and they can also react badly to unfamiliar sights and scenes. So you were right to be worried, although there was probably very little you could do.
In regards to your son self medicating. There could be a variety of reasons why he does this. All you can do is get some simple info(brochures etc) and ask him to read them at his leisure for the sake of his Mom.
He may not read them, he may say no, but at least you will have tried and maybe place a few ideas in his head.
If you or someone you know has access to a printer below are some good articles on mood disorders. There is also an article about anxiety and drinking. I used to have a few drinks when I went to a wedding dance or reunion etc to help calm my nerves, long before I ever knew what the word bipolar even meant.
I was never a heavy drinker overall , but as a young man I ended up drinking fairly heavily at some of those social events. I spent more than a few nights on the bathroom floor, not something that I am proud of, How did it affect my kids? Both in their 30's now, neither one drinks much. They say how it affected Dad. I'm not saying that happens in all families, but perhaps you will be lucky and your grandchildren will come to realize that getting bombed has it's price.
Three of the articles are from the MDAO Take Care. Paul m
http://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-and-anxiety#Overview1https://mooddisorders.ca/faq/anxiety-and-mood-disordershttps://mooddisorders.ca/faq/bipolar-disorderhttps://mooddisorders.ca/faq/depression