Today I attended the 2:00 deliberation “State Patty’s Day: How Do We Contain the State” at the State College Municipal Building. I chose this deliberation because I was curious to learn more about the history and controversy of this Penn State tradition. As a freshman, I have never experienced State Patty’s Day firsthand. However, I have heard rumors and excitement circulating throughout campus. Many upperclassmen are excited for the festivities this Saturday.

My immediate impressions were of the differences between the structure of this deliberation and the structure of my own. These students were not asked to come up with three distinct solutions to accompany each of their approaches. They were simply tasked with creating three approaches and having enough knowledge to lead discussions. The three approaches the team came up with were taking a hands-off approach, promoting alternative activities, and shutting down the student-run holiday completely. At first, the participants were reluctant to share their thoughts. There was a sense of discomfort among the strangers who had gathered to express shared concerns. As the deliberation progressed, people became more forthcoming. It became evident how diverse the crowd was. Almost all groups of the State College community were represented. There were students, concerned citizens, the Chief of Police, and leaders within the State College community in attendance. Local bar owners were contacted by Team Outreach, but they declined to participate.

Truthfully the more I learned about State Patty’s Day, the more ashamed I became that this event is becoming a part of our culture. The tradition started in 2007 when Saint Patrick’s Day overlapped with Spring Break and students wanted a way to celebrate the holiday with their friends. The day-long event annually occurs the Saturday after THON before Spring Break, and features excessive amounts of binge drinking, property damage, and crime. At the holiday’s peak in 2011, 234 arrests were made and 104 citations were issued. In the deliberation, community members expressed their disappointment that the event continues to be celebrated by students. As one audience member astutely pointed out, State Patty’s Day openly embraces the negative aspects of Saint Patrick’s Day without paying any homage to its cultural celebration of Irish heritage. Another community member pointed out that State Patty’s Day only benefits the bars. Other businesses and residents downtown lose money in property damages.

The focus of the deliberation was discussing ways in which the community can limit the appeal of State Patty’s Day to students. The group came to the conclusion that approach #2, offering alternative activities, was the most effective and feasible way to accomplish this goal. We discussed in detail the potential for growth that wholesome community festivals like THAW have.   We agreed that more student leadership is required to increase the appeal of THAW and break the spirit of State Patty’s Day. Many people in the State College community have been negatively affected by the State Patty’s Day tradition. A change to the status quo and a change in culture are in order.