Crowds pack Molly Brannigans on Tuesday There's no question, Erie loves Saint Patrick's Day.
"It's crazy, insane. My favorite time of the year," said TJ Giles, manager at Sherlock's / Park Place at 508 State Street.
"It's like Christmas to everyone. Well, an adult's Christmas," he added.
The green clothes, beer, and food means "green" for businesses too. Americans will spend $4.6 billion this holiday, and local bars pull out all the stops to help Erie feel the luck of the Irish.
Sherlock's and Park Place boast all day, all night live music. Inside, hundreds of dancing people packed the bars on Tuesday.
"Today alone we have five bands and more than six DJs, so just tons of entertainment," Giles said.
Next door at Molly Brannigans, 506 State Street, the crowds were once again packed elbow-to-elbow. Tuesday marks the bar's fifth straight day of celebrating - starting with their "Saint Practice Day" on Friday.
"We plan for this all year long and we just fill the house," said Mike O'Connor, managing partner at Molly's. "We have everything we need to make it feel like a true St. Patrick's Day. From the traditional food, the beer, obviously the Guinness," he said.
The bar says they have the largest Irish whiskey selection in the state. They also offer specialty drinks to help bring people in, like a Irish car bomb shot in pudding form.
"It's been an absolute incredible thing, everybody seems to love them right now," O'Connor said. The shot is made with Jameson whiskey, Baileys Irish cream, and Guinness beer, all delivered in chocolate or vanilla pudding.
Then there's the Tap House at 333 State Street. It might not be what comes to mind first when one thinks of traditional Irish bars in Erie, but they turn on the Irish flare for St. Patrick's Day.
"It's our second busiest day of the year," said Sean Beagle, a manager at the Tap House (after their summer Block Party night).
The Tap House brings the Irish to their menu for the occasion. One popular item: the reuben pizza.
"What we do is take a traditional reuben sandwich and we put it on a pizza. And people love it," Beagle said.
Bar managers say the sunny weather on Tuesday, even with the chill, helped make the 2015 Saint Patrick's Day a success.
"From the looks of it I'd say it's definitely up from last year," Giles said about Sherlock's / Park Place.
"Numbers looked great this year and we're just going to keep going forward," O'Connor from Molly's said. "Erie, you've done a fine job of celebrating Saint Patrick's Day in my eyes and I commend you," he said.
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