Contributed Photo / Abbey Kilner
A Laurier St. Patrick’s Day street party at full capacity.
Now that the month of love is over with, students have to prepare for the upcoming daunting event that is St. Patrick’s Day at Wilfrid Laurier University. Official St. Patrick’s Day is on Sunday, March 17, and Laurier is known across the nation for hosting one of the most energetic block parties seen on campuses.
The party usually begins on Ezra Avenue in Waterloo and eventually spills over to other surrounding neighbourhoods in downtown. Students from both Laurier and University of Waterloo join to celebrate from the wee hours of the morning until well into the evening. This block party is seen by many students to help let off steam in the midst of a hectic exam season.
Usually, there is copious amounts of alcohol consumed and the university encourages students to be safe and responsible on this day. An official statement from the university says, “The safety of our community safety is our highest priority. As students, you are expected to engage in safe, responsible and respectful conduct.” During the parties, there are university staff and local authorities present to ensure everyone is being safe and no one is seriously hurt. The crowds can get quite large and it is easy to get lost in the sea of drunken students.
Contributed Photo / Abbey Kilner
Laurier students celebrating dressed in St. Patrick’s Day attire.
Green and gold clad women and men will flood through the streets of Waterloo all day travelling from house party to party until they eventually end up at the block party. The official date for Laurier’s party has not been decided yet, the process of choosing this is determined by the students and an Instagram account, Canadian Party Life. Every year a poll is put on their Instagram and students can decide which days each university will celebrate. This is done so that if students want to go to multiple parties, they can.
This article was originally published in print Volume 23, Issue 7 on Thursday, March 7.
