In Hoboken, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade lures partiers from across the state, particularly since the parade is held early in the month so that it won’t compete with other cities for bands. Thus, it is one of the only public celebrations in the area on that Saturday.
Bars open early in the day, and revelers fill the streets. Consequently, Hoboken’s finest will be on patrol all day long, with 90 percent of the force on duty that day.
According to Public Safety Director Bill Bergen, the now-infamous maximum $1,000 fines for public drinking and other offenses will return for this year’s parade on Saturday, March 7.
Bergen said that excessive drinking has become a problem on parade days in recent years, leading to overcrowded establishments, disorderly conduct, fights, and injuries from slips and falls.
“People are going to be lined up at 8 a.m. [at the bars],” said Bergen, “especially along First Street, where there are plenty of Irish bars. They’ll be here bright and early.”
To combat the problem, the town will again issue tickets for people who walk outside with an open container of alcohol. The fine may be up to the discretion of a judge.
“Drinking in public was getting out of hand,” Bergen said. “There used to be people on the rooftops, sometimes 50 or more people on a single balcony.”
According to Bergen, the tickets have steadily decreased in the last two years.
“Two years ago, we issued 500 tickets,” Bergen said. “Then, last year that number was reduced to 170. So, the message is definitely getting across. We hope to have zero this year.”
UPDATE: Also, at this past Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Acting Fire Chief Richard Blohm and Acting Police Chief Robert Lisa addressed the issue. They said that private house parties have become more of a problem than bars, and that overcrowded roofs and fi re escapes, as well as people sitting backwards out of windows, may cause a house party to be fined or shut down this year. They will be meeting with bar owners to discuss the issues for this year’s parade. They are hoping some bars will voluntarily hold off on opening until 11 a.m., although so far, no one has made that mandatory.
For more on this story, as well as news on this year’s parade honorees and a parade fundraiser scheduled this Sunday, check back at www.hudsonreporter.com starting this Sunday under “More Hoboken news” or go to the parade website HERE. – Sean Allocca