Downtown Kent was a sea of green as hundreds of partygoers packed the streets to celebrate Fake Patty’s Day.
Students, local residents and visitors from other colleges all roamed trying to find bars to hang with friends and enjoy the night. Because of the high number of partiers, many bars were left with long lines, some stretching out with nearly 100 waiting patrons.
Many people were left frustrated and annoyed with the lines, as it threw a wrench in their plans and caused them to stand out in the cold for long periods of time.
Senior communication studies major Tori Popernack and senior marketing and spanish major Melanie Tyler were hanging out with their friend group and planned to party at Barflyy, but they were both left disappointed when noticing the line went around the corner.
“We can scope it out, but I have no idea now [on what to do],” Popernack said.
Popernack and Tyler both agreed they weren’t sure where the night would take them. They contemplated trying to find bars with shorter lines or going back to party at their apartment.
“We’re probably going to avoid the lines,” Tyler said. “That’s probably how we’ll have fun.”
The long lines were so noticeable, even non-partygoers began to view them as a concern. Dominick Nero, a sophomore biochemistry pre med major, said he was just grabbing a bite to eat from DP Dough, but the lines caught his eyes.
“I haven’t really tried to get in anywhere, but it looks to be a problem,” Nero said.
Some partygoers went to more low key bars to escape the lines. Local residents Kody Brown and Shawn Johnson bar hopped around the city and enjoyed the night by going to places without long waits.
“We went to a place where it’s pretty much dead,” Brown said. “We didn’t have a line.”
Lines or no lines, people are going to find a way to have fun and enjoy themselves on Fake Patty’s Day. Eve DeGiovanni, a senior fashion merchandising major, was celebrating the holiday for the first time, and said nothing was going to ruin it for her.
“If I have to wait in line all night then that’s fine,” she said. “It’s just how the night was intended to be then.”
John Engoglia is a beat reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
