Aggieville businesses and Riley County Police are preparing for a second consecutive year of no Fake Patty’s Day festivities.
During Tuesday’s Riley County Law Board meeting, RCPD Assistant Director Kurt Moldrup said the general consensus among Manhattan merchants is that it won’t occur.
“Basically due to COVID times, the situation we’re in with the university not having a Spring Break it’s just not conducive to the natural growth of Fake Patty occurring,” he said.
Moldrup says they’re hoping this will start a trend of the event going away altogether but says RCPD will be ready for any pop up parties in nearby neighborhoods.
The event has been in decline at the bars in Aggieville for several years after shifting more to house parties. Aggieville Business Association Director Dennis Cook who noted the ongoing coronavirus pandemic played a role in the decision to not promote it, but also said the annual drinking holiday is an event that has largely run its course, calling it a “black eye” Aggieville can’t get away from.
Law Board member Patricia Hudgins suggested RCPD reach out to the K-State Student Government Association to continue discouraging any such gatherings from happening.
“A lot of times our SGA students are great leaders and if there is some kind of a statement put out, I think it might be helpful that even though they’re not, I know that Friday before, depending on the weather, a lot of thing
While Aggieville businesses won’t be promoting Fake Patty’s Day activities, plans are underway for the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and road race. That event is tentatively scheduled for March 13.
