St. Patty's Day spirits are up, crime down

Extra police presence and videotaping the crowds on Varick Street on Saturday may have contributed to the unusually low number of disturbances reported the afternoon after the St. Patrick's Day parade. The only incident was one arrest for disorderly conduct, officials said.

The only incident was one arrest for disorderly conduct, officials said at 5 p.m.

Additionally, local bar owners agreed to have staff members wear bright, nongreen clothing so they would be more visible and to voluntarily close their establishments around 5:30 p.m., with a few reopening later in the evening.

"We're hoping that everyone has a safe and enjoyable day, but yes, we are very proactive [about safety]," city Public Safety Commissioner Daniel LaBella said early in the afternoon.

By mid-afternoon, bars along the street, including Sickenberger Lane, the HollyRock and O'Donnell's Pub & Grill, had lines of patrons waiting to get in.

Will, a bouncer at the HollyRock, said he was directing people to the outdoor patio because the bar was full.

Other establishments had similar concerns. Bouncers at O'Donnell's repeatedly closed the door as attendance reached maximum capacity.

As of 2:15 p.m., there had been 526 customers at O'Donnell's and 719 at the Electric Company, bouncers at the establishments said.

The revelers turned the downtown street into a sea of green as they gathered to drink, socialize and celebrate being Irish - even if they weren't.

Gary Zayas, 30, attended the parade with a group that included his wife, mother and several friends.

"Even if you ain't Irish, you're Irish for a day," he said.

Zayas said the crowd on Varick Street wasn't the biggest he'd seen, but was significantly larger than in recent years.

"Two years ago, there was nobody. There's a lot more out," he said.

Pat Morrissey, 22, of Utica was celebrating St. Patrick's Day on Varick Street for the first time.

"As a newcomer, I am loving it," Morrissey said. "They should block off the street more often."

State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, also was among the people celebrating today. Griffo jokingly described himself as "Mediterranean Irish."

"We were in the parade this morning. I think it's an outstanding parade," he said.

Elizabeth Crawford, 25, said she was enjoying the day, and that the people were very friendly. She was trading items such as green stickers and necklaces with other people.

"The basic thing that can be a pain for this event is people getting a little too drunk and spilling their drinks," she said.

Observer-Dispatch