MONROE - The Irish, and Irish like-minded, took over downtown Monroe like a river of free-flowing effervescent green beer through the streets Saturday afternoon.
More than 200 participants signed up to take part in the inaugural St. Patrick's Celtic Pub Crawl, which began with a packed house at 1 p.m. at Turner Hall.
For their registration, each Irishman, kit and kin over age 21, got a free beer at five participating pubs in town, a "Celtic Crawl" T-shirt and entered into raffle drawings.
"The technique is to crawl, knuckles down and knees if you want, but you just don't want to slither," said Tracy Hamilton, referring to St. Patrick's story of ridding Ireland of snakes.
Hamilton, a partner at Heartland Graphics, got the idea to put together a Green County St. Patrick's Day Committee six months ago.
About 170 people pre-registered, and another 30 people signed up on Saturday. Participants came from as far as Freeport, Ill.; Beloit and Fort Atkinson, and Iowa.
"I was hoping we'd get 50 (attendees)," Hamilton said. "We're really happy about the turnout."
For now, proceeds will be going to grow the events, he said, but "I don't want to scare Cheese Days."
Hamilton said he didn't know how Saturday's turnout would be with the Wisconsin-Michigan and the girls WIAA Division 2 state basketball games going on during the afternoon.
"Just remember, Monroe Irish, good," he said pointing to the full bar. And then pointing to the Monroe High School girls' opponent on television, he said, "Freedom Irish, bad."
"This is adult day," Hamilton said about the drinking event. "Monday is kids' day, with crafts at the library in the afternoon and then the parade at 5:17."
More than 200 participants signed up to take part in the inaugural St. Patrick's Celtic Pub Crawl, which began with a packed house at 1 p.m. at Turner Hall.
For their registration, each Irishman, kit and kin over age 21, got a free beer at five participating pubs in town, a "Celtic Crawl" T-shirt and entered into raffle drawings.
"The technique is to crawl, knuckles down and knees if you want, but you just don't want to slither," said Tracy Hamilton, referring to St. Patrick's story of ridding Ireland of snakes.
Hamilton, a partner at Heartland Graphics, got the idea to put together a Green County St. Patrick's Day Committee six months ago.
About 170 people pre-registered, and another 30 people signed up on Saturday. Participants came from as far as Freeport, Ill.; Beloit and Fort Atkinson, and Iowa.
"I was hoping we'd get 50 (attendees)," Hamilton said. "We're really happy about the turnout."
For now, proceeds will be going to grow the events, he said, but "I don't want to scare Cheese Days."
Hamilton said he didn't know how Saturday's turnout would be with the Wisconsin-Michigan and the girls WIAA Division 2 state basketball games going on during the afternoon.
"Just remember, Monroe Irish, good," he said pointing to the full bar. And then pointing to the Monroe High School girls' opponent on television, he said, "Freedom Irish, bad."
"This is adult day," Hamilton said about the drinking event. "Monday is kids' day, with crafts at the library in the afternoon and then the parade at 5:17."