STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Penn State students and local police are prepping for the "State Patty's Day" celebration.
State Patty's Day was created by Penn State students six years ago because they were gone on break during St. Patty's Day and wanted to celebrate anyway. Police see the same number of drinking related crimes as a home football game.
Earlier in the week more than 30 bars and restaurants decided to not serve alcohol on Saturday in protest to what they call a "destructive holiday".
WTAJ News found that students and police are both preparing for Saturday.
Pennsylvania's Liquor Control Board closed liquor stores in State College at 6pm, instead of 9pm Friday night. They'll stay closed Saturday.
Regardless of what's open or closed, Penn State students and police are both gearing up for what's expected to be a long Saturday.
Sergeant Ryan Hendrick with the Centre County Alcohol Task Force is on patrol Friday night. He's getting ready to work his 6th straight State Patty's Day.
"They are pretty much chaotic, and they're a complete draw on our resources. Not only for public safety, but for emergency medical, from public works, they establish nothing positive for the community."
Hendrick is one of the hundreds of police officers working long hours this weekend. Since more than 30 downtown bars and restaurants agreed to close, police worry more students will drive to bars in surrounding townships. And eventually drive home drunk.
Freshman David Reiling's gearing up for his first State Patty's Day. He says from what he's heard, closing bars, restaurants, or now liquor stores, isn't going to do much.
"I think people just plan around it. People knowing information in the future, and they just plan around it, they go out earlier, they plan earlier..."
Hendrick says Penn State students aren't usually the problem. It's the hundreds from out of state that flock to State College. Reiling says his friend came in from California, just for State Patty's Day.
"I have friends coming in if they want to. It's an event. Its something that if my friends wanted to come in on any other weekend it would be fine, but State Patty's Day is an event that's known..."
Reiling says he and his friends will try to steer clear of the police. But they don't plan to give up State Patty's Day.
Hendrick says that police will seek maximum fines and jail time for any violations related to State Patty's Day. They'll pay particular attention to DUI violations and large parties.
