Downtown Toledo and St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
Downtown Toledo will be packed this weekend with a variety of events. “On Saturday, I estimate that 30,000 – 40,000 people will be attending various celebrations. We’ll be packed from the wee hours in the morning until midnight.” said Cindy Kerr, Vice President of ConnecToledo, Downtown Development Corporation.
The epicenter is The Blarney Irish Pub. Two days of Irish festivities begin with The Shamrockin’ Shuffle on Friday March 16th in cooperation with Run Toledo. The race starts at 8pm. Go to www.runtoledo.com to register. Live music will be provided in their heated tent from 730 pm-1130 pm.
On Saturday, The Blarney kicks off their 12th St. Patrick’s Day celebration at 6am with breakfast. Toledo Firefighters Pipes & Drums begin 8am. The heated tent will be open 10am – 12:30am. with a $5 cover charge. Ed Beczynski, owner, continues his tradition of donating a portion of the weekend’s proceeds to the Toledo Firefighter’s Local 92 Charities. “This is our 12th year celebrating St. Patrick’s Day festivities. We want to bring in great local and regional acts to entertain the masses and ensure a great time for everyone. With St. Patrick’s Day being on a Saturday this year, we are expecting a record crowd, and we’ll be ready.” said Ed Beczynski, owner, The Blarney Irish Pub.
“Jigs dinners and live music will be offered throughout downtown at our various restaurants. The weather forecast looks great and many will be taking advantage of DORA (Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area) as they move from one location to another. Black and White Transportation is the DORA sponsor and committed to ensuring that people have a safe ride home.” Kerr stated.
ConnecToledo is partnering with Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West regarding safety. “Whether you are meeting a few friends at the local pub after work or attending a St. Patrick’s Day party, if you plan on using alcohol, never drive while impaired—and never let your friends drive if you think they are impaired.” said Jamie Blazevich, Lucas County Traffic Safety Program Coordinator
“Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is simply not worth the risk,” said Ms. Blazevich. “Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant.”
To help keep our roads safe, law enforcement will be working overtime this St. Patrick’s Day looking for impaired drivers.
Everyone needs to make a commitment to make responsible decisions when it comes to impaired driving. Following these easy steps, a driver can enjoy a safe St. Patrick’s Day without jeopardizing their life and the lives of the others who may be on the road.
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
- Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and give that person your keys;
- If you’re impaired, use Black & White Transportation/Uber/Lyft, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely;
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact law enforcement at *677 or calling 911;
- And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
Also, this weekend is the Shrine Circus at the SeaGate Centre from Thursday through Sunday. The Monster Jam roars in to the Huntington Center on Saturday. Imagination Station, The Toledo Rep and the Farmers’ Market will welcome their usual guests making for one of the busiest weekends of the year.
