In 2007, Joe Veltre founded a Saint Patrick's Day substitute that only took one year to become an institution at Penn State.
Now, the creator has condemned his brainchild, calling it the cause of a "very large rift ripping through Penn State and State College."
Indeed, Veltre (senior-biochemistry and molecular biology) said he wouldn't be heartbroken if it was over for good tomorrow.
"It's transformed -- I feel like it's kind of run its course, and I wouldn't be sad at all if it happened," he said.
State Patty's Day took only two years to push the borough, police and bar owners to the breaking point in a town that caters to students nine months out of the year. Community leaders have stepped up their efforts this year to suppress the holiday, with bars refusing to open early and police calling in reinforcements from all over the state.
Last year, police saw students vomiting or urinating on sidewalks in broad daylight. Drunken driving arrests were up, and more than 20 people needed emergency medical services. That's a problem, State College Police Department Chief Tom King said.
"It was despicable," he said. "It created a real black eye for our community."
In response, he asked local bar owners to denounce the holiday. After a unanimous vote two weeks ago, members of the State College Tavern Association agreed there will be no green beer or State Patty's Day specials, and no bar will open before its regularly scheduled hours of operation.
Earlier this week, the Lion's Den said no one is scheduled to work Saturday, though employees could not confirm if the bar decided to close altogether to make a statement against State Patty's Day.
That's fine by Veltre, who says he can't follow the holiday down the debauched path it has taken. He agrees with the bars' decision, saying the last thing he wants to see is another tragedy.
"I would be heartbroken to see that happen, especially from what I created," he said.
Police presence will be heavy this weekend, casting a wide net for anyone committing misconduct, King said.
On Friday and Saturday nights, State College Police will have support from Penn State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, the Centre County Alcohol Task Force and the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.
Police will also make a push to ensure any offenders receive the maximum penalty for any State Patty's Day-related crime, either through Penn State or at the Centre County Courthouse, he said.
Last year, State Patty's Day yielded more alcohol-related incidents than the 2008 Homecoming weekend or the primetime Illinois game, King said. And while drunkenness is not OK by police during a football weekend, game days bring revenue to State College in hotel reservations, retail sales and bar and restaurant visits.
Not so for State Patty's Day, according to local businesses. Jennifer Zangrilli, president of the Tavern Association and director of operations at Dante's, Inc., said the holiday has proven to be economically hindering to bars. Many businesses have had to pay for extra staff and supplies in addition to damage costs they have to cover once the day is over.
Penn State professor and small-town economy expert Albert Luloff said while he would imagine State Patty's Day directly hurts downtown businesses, it also casts a shadow over their reputations -- one that is nearly impossible to overcome.
However, some local businesses are still undecided on the holiday.
Greg Nau, manager at Canyon Pizza, said the popular late-night spot has not yet decided if it will serve pizza with green crust this weekend -- something it has done in honor of State Patty's Day in the past. The 260 E. Beaver Ave. pizza place is talking with the borough before it takes its official stance on the holiday, Nau said.
A few blocks away, The Family Clothesline has a green window display and green T-shirts, beads and sweatshirts lining the wall. "State Patty's Day" is written across the front of several T-shirts in the store.
However, The Family Clothesline store coordinator Tracy Bell said while they have the green items out, they do not promote State Patty's Day, excessive drinking or partying.
"We just have a shirt for when you do all that," Bell said.
But even so, with the police, the bars and the university cracking down on State Patty's Day, can the student-created holiday survive?
Veltre hopes not. There is a drinking problem in State College, he said, and until that is fixed, State Patty's Day is just making things worse.
For now, it's all in the hands of the students, he said.
"I understand that nothing I say can derail the runaway train that State Patty's has become. It is out of my hands, and has been for some time," he wrote in a statement. "We have already experienced one tragedy on our campus this year. I urge you not to allow it to happen again."
