This year, Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration is continuing many traditions, old and new, but is also introducing some controversial changes to encourage a less rowdy, more family friendly event.
One major change is the cancelation of live music on River Street. The famed waterfront walkway is usually packed like sardines during St. Patrick’s Day and live music tends draw large crowds, so the idea is that the teeming masses will spread out around town.
The city has also decided not to permit live music performances or vendors on the streets. This has put a hurt on many artists who count on St. Patrick’s Day for earning much of their living, some of whom were already booked to perform on River Street before the cancelations.
Credit: Richard Burkhart, Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart, Savannah Morning News
However, that doesn’t mean that Savannah is going quiet during St. Patrick’s Day. So where can revelers find live music this week?
Plant Riverside is continuing its annual Shamrocks and Shenanigans festivities and seems to be presenting a majority of downtown’s live music options.
“We’ve been planning for a long time now and it’s going to be a jam packed five-day celebration,” said Tyler Gray, Director of Entertainment and Programming at Plant Riverside District.
“I think we’re on the same page with the city. We’re trying to make sure that we’re the exact same feel that the city wants to go into with the family oriented celebration for St. Patrick’s Day. We’ve got non-stop entertainment going from the afternoon all the way into the evening.”
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Besides mini-golf, pipe and drums music, and performances by Legacy- Irish School of Dance, and Cirque Divina, Plant Riverside will offer a variety of free live music by Whitley Deputy Band, Laiken Love and Fellowship of Love, The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra, Eric Culberson Blues Band, Swamptooth, Lynn Avenue, Ed Lemon and the Getright’s, Mily Kinner Band, Jake Bradey, Willie Jackson and the Tybee Blues band, Drauker, and Ramona and the Riot, as well as American Idiots! A Green Day cover band.
“I think we’re going to continue this amazing tradition we started last year and I believe it’s something Savannah will have for years and years to come. We’re excited to be a part of this amazing celebration and make it the tradition we always wanted.”
Credit: Photo by Adriana Iris Boatwright
Credit: Photo by Adriana Iris Boatwright
Another major change in how the city is managing the massive crowds is by extending the festival zone all the way to Victory Drive with the assumption that some of the crowd (particularly locals) will choose to get away from the craziness of downtown and celebrate in the Starland District. The extension to Starland has provided some other options for live music.
Starland Yard, for example, is hosting a St. Pat’s Weekend Music Fest. It has booked eight bands over the weekend including Jason Bible, Damon & the Shitkickers, and Dope KNife on Thursday, Earth Tonez and The Knotty G’s on Friday, Little Gracie and Monkey Man on Saturday, and Voodoo Soup closing out Sunday.
Two Tides Brewing is hosting a St. Pat’s Block Party on Saturday with green beer and a performance by Pluff Mudd featuring Matt Eckstine (guitar/vocals) and Eric Daubert (mandolin/guitar/vocals).
On Friday, The Wormhole is hosting a St. Paddy’s Day Metal Mayhem concert with southeastern bands like Actus Reus, Rise Up Angry, and Dead Reckoning.
It’s still unclear how effective the changes the city has made to the festival will be, or how local music will be impacted by the loss of live entertainment on River Street.
Tourism is bigger than ever and there is no telling how big and rowdy the crowds will get. Local musicians and business owners will be watching closely to see if the changes to where live music can take place were worth it.
Visit plantriverside.com, wormholebar.com, starlandyard.com, and twotidesbrewing.com for more information.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah St. Patrick’s Day music moves to Plant Riverside and farther south
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