Despite the annual parade being cancelled for the second year in a row, thousands of people are set to gather in Hoboken this Saturday for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Last year Mayor Dawn Zimmer, dismayed at the number of arrests made and the out-of-control revelers at the St. Patrick’s Day parade, said the parade should be held on a Wednesday, rather than at the weekend, in an attempt to quash any disturbances.
However the parade organizers disagreed and despite the popularity of the parade it was cancelled for the first time in 26 years. This year In lieu of the parade, an Irish festival will be held in the city on March 13.
On Monday longtime Hoboken resident Sean Iaquinto argued the parade should be reinstated for numerous reasons. Writing on his blog, Philly2Hoboken.com Iaquinto aruged the parade should be scheduled for a Sunday, not a Saturday.
"Most younger adults can drink with wild abandon on a Saturday afternoon, whereas most younger adults may have a good time - but many of them have jobs on Monday and that will temper HOW drunk they get."
Read More: Black, white and green: exploring links between the Irish and African Americans for St Patrick’s Day
He also argued that a special St. Patrick's Day beer garden should be open, where they will charge revellers an admittance fee.
"It won't stop the house parties. It won't stop bars from having people drink. What it will do is diffuse those events by taking the 17,000 people who would normally be at a house party or a bar - and put them in front of the police."
“My ideas would absolutely work, generate revenue for cleanup costs and security costs - I hazard to say the city could generate $175,000+ on parade day.”
The second annual Hoboken Lepre-con will take place this Saturday, beginning at 11am.
“We want everyone to come up and come out and dress up and enjoy the festivities,” co-organizer Jamie Darrah told CBS, who is hoping for a crowd of green-bearded leprechauns.
“Hopefully we’ll have a set bar crawl listed on our website.”
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