St. Pattys Day

[The Voice of Reason]

Did anyone partake in what Hartford has to offer?

I had to meet with the tenants in the building I am buying and could not get to the parade, but I was downtown for the meeting. People were literally everywhere. It is damn impressive. I have heard a lot about New Havens St. Pattys day festivities, but was under the impression(mostly from my wife) that Hartfords paled in comparison. I have to say that even though I did not participate, it looked like quite a big thing here. As I rode with my realtor on the Viaduct I could see thousands, yes, literally thousands on Allyn street and flooded int the parking lots.

was anyone out and about? anyone have any pictures?

[grock]

The Hartford St. Patrick's Day parade is a great event for the state, and seems to get bigger every year. It brings roughly 25-40 thousand people to the city and it is huge money for the restaurants along and near the route. They need to do a few things to make it even better.

1. Speed up the permit process and lower the fees. Bars complain the permits for outdoor drinking are slow to get and excessively priced.

2. More Irish type of floats, entrants, fewer commercial entries. For example, if FOX 61 wants to be in the parade have them dress in green, not just a blatant ad.

3. There should be a green stripe down the parade route.

[MichaelQReilly]

A few things:

1. I marched in the parade yesterday and highly impressed with the turnout. The amount of people who came to the city to party, especially young people, was great. I loved seeing the huge crowds partying in the row houses on Capital Ave. After the parade I was hanging out at Pigseye with my friends, one of whom is the Coors Sales Rep for many of the downtown bars. According to him, Pigseye went through 12 kegs before 11 o'clock.

2. I loved seeing the Guinness tents along the parade route. I wish the city would give the bars/restaurants permits to sell booze and food outside to help foster the street party atmosphere.

3. As far as getting more and better floats in the parade; my dad is an organizer of the Hartford and Meriden parades. The content of the parade is largely up to the people who want to march in it. Pretty much any group is welcome to put together something and march.