PHOTOS: State Patty’s Day Brings Long Lines, Community Effort to State College

It was, in short, a dramatic day.

The State Patty’s Day 2011 drinking holiday brought thousands of people to downtown State College on Saturday, flooding sidewalks, streets, parking garages and the relatively few bars that maintained regular — or close to regular — hours.

Lines outside Cafe 210 West, the Rathskeller, the Gingerbread Man and Bill Pickle’s Tap Room — some of the bars that did not close Saturday — were long for much of the day.

By Saturday afternoon, borough police were saying that crowds and calls had grown in volume from State Patty’s Day 2010. By the evening, the Phyrst bar and Indigo nightclub decided voluntarily to close early. Kildare’s joined them later, closing by midnight or so. (Management of at least eight other downtown establishments had decided earlier not to serve any alcohol Saturday.)

At Indigo, the staff reported the club closed Saturday because of a huge crowd — estimated at more than 2,000 people — that had gathered outside in the late evening. The group, which appeared to overwhelm Indigo, filled the sidewalk along the 100 block of West College Avenue — wrapping around onto Fraser Street, as well.

At the same time, more than 500 people participated in a volunteer community-outreach effort Saturday. It was supported by several local organizations, including the borough government, the Penn State Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils and the Off-Campus Student Union.

That daylong effort encouraged pairs of volunteers to take ‘community walks’ through and around the downtown, bringing a calm, community presence to the area. Volunteers worked in roughly two-hour shifts. Permanent residents often were paired with Penn State students in the effort.

Other alternatives to drinking were organized for the day, too, including a ‘State Service Day’ of volunteerism put on by Penn State students.

StateCollege.com is putting together more comprehensive coverage of State Patty’s Day and surrounding activities; it will be posted soon. Meanwhile, earlier coverage is posted below, and a photo gallery is available to the right of this report.

Related coverage

• Police: High Call Volume Persisted through State Patty’s Day Weekend (Feb. 27, 2011)
  

• Police: Calls, Crowds Grow for State Patty’s Day 2011 (Feb. 26, 2011)

• State College Liquor Stores to Close Early on State Patty’s Day (Feb. 25, 2011)

• POLL: How Will You Spend State Patty’s Day? (Feb. 25, 2011)

• Facebook Helps Power State Patty’s Day Connections (Feb. 25, 2011)

• State Patty’s Day, in Fifth Year, Sees Strong Reaction (Feb. 25, 2011)
  

• Dante’s Establishments to Close Bars for State Patty’s Day (Feb. 24, 2011)

• Two State College Bars to Close for State Patty’s Day; Others May Join (Feb. 24, 2011)

• Students Plan Service Activities to Coincide with State Patty’s (Feb. 17, 2011)

• Police: For Local Bars, State Patty’s Day Marked ‘Turning Point’ (Feb. 27, 2011)

• For State Patty’s Day, State College Wants a Community Presence (Feb. 9, 2011)

• State Patty’s Day: Reflection of Indiscretions (Feb. 25, 2010)