TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -Residents of Manhattan celebrated Fake Patty’s Day, a longstanding tradition in which students and the city of Manhattan celebrate the holiday a week early.
The event originated in 2007 when K-State student Patrick Atchity learned the city’s actual Saint Patrick’s Day parade was scheduled during spring break. Upon this discovery, Atchity convinced local bars to hold the celebrations a week early so students could participate in the festivities.
What began as a student-driven workaround has grown into a community-wide event.
“Honestly I just love seeing everybody out, people who don’t usually go out are out and it’s awesome,” one attendee said.
Another resident described the sense of neighborhood connection the neighborhood feels during the event.
“I just feel so connected with my community right now, and it’s just so fun because it’s like a holiday that just brings everyone together. And you can go to your next-door neighbors and hang out with them, and that’s not really something I think is normalized.”
While the event includes alcohol and can grow loud, organizers and attendees said unity remains the focus.
“It feels great, it’s good to come out to the community, everyone’s coming together for one time of the year, and we’re just having a great time out here,” one attendee said.
“We need more of this in our world, more unity, more happiness. We’re just having fun, let’s go,” another said.
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