NEW ORLEANS — You won't see crowded Irish pubs or streets today, but that doesn't mean people aren't celebrating and continuing certain traditions.
There is still a lot of green around New Orleans this St. Patrick's Day.
Bagpipes were still heard outside St. Patrick's Church for St. Patrick's Day mass.
In the French Quarter, many people were seen dressed in green and even a few in kilts to enjoy a St. Patrick's Day beer or two.
"Got to have the kilt," Sam Downing said. "Normally we’d participate in the parade and do a pub crawl, which I'm going to do a small one today."
"Oh yes, got all dressed up, enjoying a Guinness here at one of my favorite Irish Pubs, The Kerry," Charles Duffy III said.
Several of the most popular Irish pubs remained closed on St. Patrick's Day to avoid large crowds. Tracey's Irish Channel Bar, Parasol's Bar, and Finn McCools all closed on what is normally one of their busiest days of the year.
"It's just not worth jeopardizing the safely of our citizens in New Orleans," said Lauren Bruser with Parasol's Bar. "It's sad, depressing, but we're definitely looking forward to next year."
For the rest of the month, several bars including Parasol's will continue giving out a free beer with a donation to St. Michael Special School. Every year, St. Patrick's Day celebrations are huge fundraisers for St. Michael. This St. Patrick's Day, the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club hosted a drive-by donation drop-off for the school. Students thanked supporters with a special gift.
"We're trying to do something, trying to celebrate as best we can, best we know how," said Sean Burke with the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club.
They raised $7,000 for the school at the donation drive-by and about her $15,000 from donors who are sending in their donations.
