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Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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TODAY

Friday, March 29

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Fuel

Ramsin / March 12, 2004 4:24 AM

The South Side parade is better, but the official parade has more awkward politicians. Although the South Side one has the scared politicians. So it's a toss up.

miss ellen / March 12, 2004 7:51 AM

never missed the south side parade ;) my family helped get it started...yet i've NEVER been to the downtown parade. green river? try green beer!

Ian / March 12, 2004 8:06 AM

Last year during the St. Patricks festivities I was riding past the corner of Roscoe and Clark when I witnessed a glass beer stein hurled into a cabbies rear passenger window with such force that the stein, and the side window, shattered.

So this year I've decided that I am going to set up a lawn chair on that corner with a few plates full of Pick Me Up goodies and wait for a re-enactment of last years drunken rage.

And while I wait I plan to glue quarters to the sidewalk for the green-tongued stumble-bums and green-gashed trixies to wrestle with. Because honestly, we all know that St. Patricks day is not about green beer or having pride in ones heritage; it is about watching people as they make themselves out to be complete fucking assholes in public.

anne / March 12, 2004 8:26 AM

This will be the third major city I've been in for St. Patty's (first Boston, then NYC...I don't count the Wilmington, Delaware year). But I think what I'm most looking forward to is seeing the river dyed green!

JTR / March 12, 2004 9:42 AM

Happy to miss the south side parade. can't find public restrooms or any place to get a drink w/out a long line

emily / March 12, 2004 10:22 AM

We'll be apartment hunting all day Saturday, but we may truck down the LSD to at least see the green river. I'm not a fan of drunken crowded places, especially when it's this cold out.

Benjy / March 12, 2004 10:29 AM

I'm a South Side Irish Parade virgin, but I'll be attending this year! We'll start drinking at 9am at an Irish bar in Lincoln Park, move the drinking to the bus to the parade, and continue drinking once at the parade.

My friends and I even had drinkin' shirts made up for the events. I thought they should all have our addresses and "If found, please return to:" on them...

Andrew / March 12, 2004 11:10 AM

I'll be out of town, but if I was here, I wouldn't be going to either. Parades are fun and all, but I'm not much for standing for long periods of time, peeking between people for a glimpse at the floats. I'll drink a Guinness in honor of the Irish, though!

Benjy / March 12, 2004 1:46 PM

You mean, it's like an actual parade??? Doh! I thought it was just drinking -- I didn't know I'd have to watch floats and marching bands. Hope there are no clown... they scare me.

miss ellen / March 12, 2004 1:58 PM

c'mon, you know it's ALL about the huge jewel shopping cart!

Kris / March 12, 2004 2:56 PM

I do love the Jewel cart, but I'll be working through both parades.

T.C. / March 12, 2004 5:05 PM

Finally getting down to the SSI parade for the first time ever.

Got a group of friends coming over early for Irish Coffee, raisin scones, soda and brown bread, and, for the adventurous carnivore, black and white pudding. (Winston’s Market 4701 W 63rd St). Throw some Guinness in the sack and cycle 13 miles to fortress Beverly.

Be sure to check out the local rugby in Kennedy park, where you can heckle the visiting Lincoln Park team. If the pubs serving food are to crowded to get some corned beef, try the ones on 111th in the even more remote Mt. Greenwood.

And if you don’t like drunken crowds & damp cold, stay home and watch the f**king tube.

Happy St. Paddy’s from the West Side Irish.

suzanne / March 12, 2004 6:48 PM

the southside.
even though i don't really dig nationalism,i'll go. just to say i've been.

Cinnamon / March 13, 2004 11:25 AM

I had a blast last year. It was quite a riot. Saw things standing in line for the Port-o'Jon that I'd never seen during daylight hours before. There was a group of skniheads with swastikas tattooed on the back of their necks that took me back to my days in rural Ohio, but otherwise it was a grand'ol'time. Won't be joining either parade this year, but I'll be wearing green and drinking Harp instead of domestic beer this weekend.

kathleen / March 13, 2004 1:59 PM

Eh, I'm not a big fan of St. Patrick's Day. For me It's always been one of those holidays for people who aren't really Irish to make fun of stereotypes of Irish people. Plus as the daughter and granddaughter of actual Irish nationalists, Easter is the time to celebrate being Irish and the big holiday in my family. So I'll be going to neither one. Though I wish my grandfather were still alive, because hearing him make fun of Irish-Americans on St. Patrick's Day? Was hilarious.

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