State College places restrictions ahead of State Patty's 2023

August 31, 2024

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WJAC) — This time of year, State College has its own unofficial tradition of State Patty's, drawing in people from all over the place to party here. Though, a common complaint is delinquency.

With the expected heavy drinking and partying, State College Borough and police have announced restrictions to tamp down any rowdiness. State Patty's in recent years happens first weekend after THON.

Even the State College Borough Manager, Tom Fountaine, in a statement described State Patty's as having a "Mardi Gras atmosphere." For a number of people, that's not a good thing.

"The borough doesn't like to officially sanction it in any way," State College Borough Council President Jesse Barlow tells 6 News, "because really it's— it's not a real holiday."

In a press release, the borough and State College Police state that "Greek-letter organizations have been asked to voluntarily limit social events with alcohol at their facilities throughout the weekend."

Additionally, Penn State University dorms "will limit guests to one per room for the weekend."

The borough also emphasizes that "any Penn State student charged with violations during the weekend, on or off-campus, will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for appropriate disciplinary action."

State College Borough Mayor Ezra Nanes tells us: "I think, you know, the pandemic may have had an impact on the overall rowdiness of this holiday.”

This is a trend the borough council president says he's also observed.

"Originally, it was three students got this idea that a year, that St. Patrick's Day was during spring break, that they would hold their— basically their own St. Patrick's Day," Barlow recounts. "And the idea kind of exploded."

"Everybody likes to have fun and that's— that's all well and good," Nanes points out, "but the thing with State Patty's Day is that it's really a holiday focused — almost entirely — on drinking."

"30 arrests in a single day is a LOT," he also mentions, saying it strains the police department.

Both Barlow and Nanes say the impacts on State College don't end there.

"I think, with State Patty's Day, it's a little bit more extreme than that," Barlow says. "The bars may make money, but nobody else does."

He also mentions that this "is not as true in football games."

The borough notes in the press release that there are amnesty protocols in place, should the drinking become too dangerous.

Nanes telling people, "You won't be charged with a crime if you take someone who has drunk too much to the emergency room. So, if a friend of yours is in trouble, don't avoid giving them help because you're afraid of the consequences of that."

Though, to avoid situations like that, moderated drinking should prevent that from happening to begin with.

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