Welcome to the St Patrick’s Day Celebration on the River 2010

It is that time of year again. St Patrick’s Day in Savannah Ga. Keep checking back to this page for up to the minute updates leading up to and during the big event. Savannah began celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in 1813 with a private gathering of the Hibernian Society, a group of Irish Protestants. The first parade was five years later. Growing steadily in the 189 years since, Savannah now hosts the second largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States, attracting over 300,000 visitors from around the world.

The Savannah Waterfront Association presents The 2010 St. Patrick’s Festival on Historic River Street March 16-17 along the waterfront, including River Street from East Broad Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Festivities include games, food, beverages, and live entertainment. The event is free, but attendees must purchase a wristband ($5) to consume alcoholic beverages on the plaza and inside River Street businesses Tuesday and Wednesday. Wristbands will be sold at kiosks distributed along the plaza, and at businesses on River Street.River Street will be closed to traffic throughout the festival.

Celebrate Responsibly with Entertainment, Food, Beverages, Games, Contests and More! Be sure to see the I-95 Battle of the Bands Tuesday Night! Experience Over 70 Restaurants, Shops & Pubs on Historic River Street to make your St. Pat’s Celebration Complete!

2010 St. Patrick’s Celebration on the River Overview

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 16th and 17th, 2010, Historic River Street

St. Patrick’s Celebration on the River will be Tuesday, March 16 from Noon-12am (Entertainment)  / 2:30am (Food and Beverage Stations) and Wednesday, March 17 from Noon-12am (Entertainment)  / 2:30am (Food and Beverage Stations).

It is free to enter, but adults who will be consuming adult beverages inside or outside establishments must purchase a wristband each day.  Wristbands must be worn by those consuming alcohol within the festival zone between the hours of Noon to 3am Tuesday and 8am to 3am Wednesday.

Enforced and Published Festival Rules and Regulations:

1. Wristbands are required for alcohol consumption both within and outside of establishments

2. Packages are subject to examination

3. No food or beverages, bottles, cans, coolers, weapons or other illegal items are permitted within the festival site

4. No pets, in-line skates, skateboards, bicycles or wagons

5. Disorderly, dangerous or disruptive behavior will result in arrest/ or ejection

River Street may close as early as Friday.  This is a public safety issue and the SCMPD will make the decision to close as they assess the crowds over the weekend. The street is expected to be re-opened for Sunday and Monday, then River Street will close to vehicular traffic Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday.

Two (2) Savannah Belle’s Ferries will run from 7am to 6pm on March 17; one (1) will run from 6pm to midnight.

dottie, the River Street streetcar, will not run Saturday (3.13) through Wednesday (3.17) to ensure public safety

River Street Public Parking Lots will close to the public beginning as early as Friday, March 12.  This decision is made to preserve public safety and logistical staging for the festival by the City, SCMPD and the SWA.

There will be no gating, but wristbands will be enforced for those adults consuming alcohol inside establishments on River Street/Factors Walk from the East Broad Ramp to MLK, Jr. Blvd.  All wristbands cost $5.00 – any overcharging should be reported to the Savannah Waterfront Association: 912.678.1947 or leave a message at 912.234.0295.

Extended hours of service: 3am Closing for bars/restaurants (formerly 1am).

Wristband Sales in 4 kiosks along River Street as well as with Merchants along River Street/Factors Walk and the beverage stations.  The kiosks will be located along River Street at the Ramps of Barnard Street, City Hall, Abercorn Street and Lincoln Street.

Merchant Wristbands may be purchased in advance at the Savannah Waterfront Association office (404 East Bay) Monday, March 15 from 8am-12pm.  Wristbands will also be available for purchase during festival hours.  Further information will be available at the time of purchase.

There will be 3 Savannah Waterfront Association Beverage Stations on the Plaza and one back-up station near the Barnard Street Ramp – Savannah local Coastal Catering is the beverage management company.  Coke products and Draft Budweiser, Bud Light and Yuengling will be available.

There will be great food vendors on the plaza including (to date): Bayou Café, Spanky’s, Coach’s Corner and Sticky Fingers.

Free public portable toilets will be located in City Parking Lot No’s. 1 and 3 (Barnard Ramp and Lincoln Ramp).

Royal Restrooms will be onsite in two locations – $5.00 stamp per day guarantees clean facilities.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Goodwill Industries of the Coastal Empire: If ya gotta go… Go for Goodwill!  The Royal Restrooms benefiting Goodwill will be located in the parking lot closest River House Seafood.

There will be great entertainment on the Arbor Stage in front of

Tubby’s/Hueys featuring DJ’s-to-Go and live shows including:

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

12pm – 6pm DJ’s-to-Go
6pm-11pm
I-95 Battle of the Bands
Brokin Hollow
GWC
Dirty Uncle Bob
Wes Berry Pie
The Rattlers
The Looters
Wesley Bragg & The Cut-Throat Cowboys

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

10am-2pm DJ’s-to-Go
2pm High Velocity
4pm Irish Air Corps Pipe Band
4:30pm Sunset Jet (2009 I-95 Battle of the Bands Winner)
6pm Hazzard County
7:45pm Irish Air Corps Pipe Band
8:15pm Thomas Wynn & The Believers
10pm Liquid Ginger (10th Anniversary Show!)

Paul Mitchell the School, will have a Cut-a-thon during the St Patrick’s Celebration on the 17th. Asking for a $5 donation, individuals get a great Paul Mitchell (School) haircut with all proceeds going to charities. The schools nationwide raise money for our Magic of Memories Fund. This fund gives money to the following charities: Children’s Miracle Network, Larry King’s Cardiac Foundation, Leeza Gibbons Alzheimer’s foundation and Food for Africa. The Cut-a-thon will be located directly across from Wet Willie’s!

Interactive Games – including a mechanical bull – will be located in the public parking lots!  Visit the Verizon Fun Zone complete with Karaoke, games, and of course, the big screen!

Verizon’s Big Screen will run Tuesday-Wednesday.  Please take advantage of this great marketing tool by texting a (pre-screened) message to 64641, Keyword VZW followed by your message or Pix to Screen to green@pix.vzw.com

On-site sponsorship: Southern Eagle/Budweiser will have “Wanna Go Home with Me Tonight?” stations encouraging Designated Drivers with dancing, contests, give-aways, etc.  Georgia Lottery will be selling tickets as well as hosting free onsite contests and promotions! Coca-Cola is hosting a “Fuse/Vitamin Water” Sampling on the Barnard Street Ramp!

AAA and Budweiser are bringing a new sense of responsibility to the Celebration by extending Tow-to-Go to last from Friday – Tuesday.  Call 1.800.AAA.HELP (1.800.222.4357): AAA will take the impaired owner and his vehicle home at No Charge.  AAA membership not required

AAA and Budweiser will also bring the Green Team to the Celebration Friday – Tuesday.  AAA Technicians on Segways will assist motorists who have locked their keys inside their vehicle, have a flat or need a jump because of a dead battery.  Call 1.877.222.7111 for assistance.  Again, there is No Charge.  AAA membership not required

ATM’s will be located along the length of River Street

This year’s festival will be very much like a standard, mid-week event without Gating

Send us your funny St Patrick’s Day 2010 pictures or links to you tube videos

and look for them on this site  following the Holiday!

Savannah St. Patrick’s Day events Leading up to Celebration on the River

Friday March 12th

Greening of the Fountain Forsyth Park 12:00 Noon
Honoring of Deceased Grand Marshals Cathedral Cemetary 4:30PM

Sunday March 14th

Celtic Cross Ceremony
Ceremony in Emmet Park
Reception (Tickets Required) Mass at Cathedral 11:45AM
Emmet Park 1:00PM Reception to follow

Tuesday March 16th

Jasper Green Ceremony Madison Square 4:30PM

Wednesday March 17th

Saint Patrick’s Day Mass Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 8:00AM
Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Parade kickoff at 10:15AM
St. Pat’s On the River immediately following the Parade.

St. Patrick’s Day Parking at Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

Parking for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be available at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center beginning at 7AM and ending at 3PM on Wednesday, March 17. A parking fee of $10 per vehicle will include a round trip on the water ferry for all vehicle passengers. PLEASE NOTE: The Trade Center Parking Lot will not admit vehicles after 3pm on Wednesday March 17. The water ferry will continue to run until midnight for convenience of Trade Center and Westin guests.

Parade Route

Thanks to our friends at The Coastal Source for this Parade Route Map

Savannah Waterfront Association

Kenny Hill at Kenny@RiverStreetSavannah.com or 912.596.6184
Erin Jenkins at Erin@RiverStreetSavannah.com or 912.678.1947

Festival Website: RiverStreetSavannah.com

The Savannah Waterfront Association promotes the eclectic vitality of the shops, restaurants, pubs and hotels that create the one-of-a-kind, family-friendly experience found nowhere else in the world than historic River Street. The SWA is a 501 (c)(3) private organization whose Mission is to promote, preserve and enhance the historic character and productive use of the Savannah riverfront community for all to enjoy.