TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Downtown Toledo is packed with green as area residents flock to downtown bars to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
The party started first thing in the morning at the Blarney with bagpipes at 7 a.m. and more planned throughout the day. Staff there said people were lined up outside before the doors even opened Tuesday morning.
Other bars like Ye Olde Cock and Bull opened around 10 a.m. and will feature live music and plenty of green beer to go around.
One man says he doesn't live in Toledo anymore, but he takes the day off every year to come back and celebrate.
"Really just the camaraderie, I mean, seeing a lot of old friends, and it's not too big like it is in Cleveland," Brandon said. "But it's not small either, so you get a lot of passionate participants."
Most bars will be open until 2 a.m., but if you're not into the typical bar scene, there is more of a traditional event available: The Ancient Order of Hibernians' St. Patrick's Day event started in the afternoon and lasts until 10 p.m.
It's a family-friendly event, serving bangers and mash and offering live Irish music and dancers and gift baskets for purchase.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians has been around for hundreds of years, and the group in Lucas County has been active for decades.
Proceeds from the event are in part donated to charity, and organizers say it's a way to give back to the community, while still remembering their Irish roots.
"We're trying to keep the Irish heritage alive," said Maureen Gayle, vice president of the Ladies Organization of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians in Lucas County. "The family-oriented party that we're trying to throw here gets back to the roots of the Irish, with our Irish dancers especially. We have an Irish band, and the food that we're having here is Irish. It's actually nice that people still recognize that we are actually here because we've been doing this for a long time, 30 years, and you know it's just nice to have recognition."
If you're out celebrating the holiday and need a ride home, click
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