The parades are canceled, the public health advisories are everywhere and coronavirus anxiety is high. But St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, and for some in New Orleans that still calls for a toast.

That includes Andrew Stewart, who had planned to march in the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Saturday. While the parade was called off, the gist of his plans for the day remains largely intact.

“I plan to put on my tuxedo and go day drinking with my friends,” said Stewart.

It won’t be a parade, but rather a self-directed pub crawl as he and a few dozen friends walk between bars along the erstwhile parade route around the Irish Channel and Lower Garden District. He said they want to support local businesses missing out on a big parade day, and also maintain their own social tradition.

“Obviously people who are at high risk (of contracting Covid-19) should stay home, but I don’t want to put my life on hold for what-ifs,” he said.

These pub crawlers will likely have more green-clad company.

Large scale gatherings have been canceled or postponed all around the country in an effort to fight the spread of coronavirus. In New Orleans, City Hall canceled all St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day parades that were scheduled to roll this weekend, along with other public events, including the Mardi Gras Indian Super Sunday event in Central City and the Single Men Social Aid and Pleasure Club second line. The Metairie Road St. Patrick’s Day Parade was also canceled.

The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club, which produces the parade in its namesake neighborhood, has also canceled its annual block party in Annunciation Square. Only one official event remains on its schedule: Saturday’s Mass at St. Mary’s Assumption Church in the Irish Channel.

Traditionally, club members and honorees attend the noon service at the historic Catholic church at the corner of Constance and Josephine streets, and then proceed to the parade route. This year, what members do after Mass is up to them, said club spokesman Jeff DeLatte. They may not all go straight home after church.

“Everyone is familiar with coronavirus and knows how serious it is, and we’re not hosting anything official after (Mass),” he said. “But I think there will be a lot of personal celebrations.”

Block parties that had been planned around Saturday’s parade and on St. Patrick’s Day proper have been canceled. That goes for the longtime outdoor parties along Third Street between the adjacent pubs Parasol’s Restaurant and Bar and Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar.

Across town, Finn McCool’s Irish Pub in Mid-City has likewise canceled its own block party, which was scheduled for St Patrick’s Day.

Proprietors at each of those bars say they plan to remain open for normal business, like most other bars and restaurants across the city.

“We aren't going to break any rules the city has but we do plan on blowing out this weekend with a packed house,” said Tracey’s owner Jeff Carerras.

Finn McCool’s owner Sean Kennedy said he canceled his block party “out of an abundance of caution.”

“People can still come by, we’ll be open, but we’re asking people, if they’re not feeling well, to consider their fellow man and stay home,” he said.

Also canceled this year is the Molly's at the Market Jim Monaghan's Parade, which normally traverses the French Quarter with mule-drawn carriages and marching groups. Similarly, though, Molly’s at the Market proprietor Trey Monaghan said his pub will remain open to serve come who may.

“We understand that people are worried,” said Monaghan. “But it’s like the way we stayed open after Hurricane Katrina. Until someone tells me we have to close, Molly’s will be open and serving drinks.”

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are the first major event in New Orleans since the city began seeing cases of coronavirus earlier this week. Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a public health emergency for Louisiana, and Mayor LaToya Cantrell declared a state of emergency for New Orleans.

Health officials are urging elderly people and those with health issues to avoid large public gatherings and for everyone to wash their hands and stay home if sick.

Some previously-planned St. Patrick’s Day happenings are continuing, albeit on a different scale now.

On Magazine Street, for instance, the restaurant Cavan is proceeding with a Saturday porch party, with Irish-themed food and drink specials on its front patio, that was originally planned to coincide with the parade. Restaurant owner Robért LeBlanc said, like other restaurants around the area, his staff is taking extra steps around cleaning and sanitizing.

"We will be hosting our St. Paddy’s Day party as planned," he said. "It likely won’t be debauchery, but I do think people still enjoy engaging with their community and enjoying themselves. As an industry, we are hospitality companies. As it stands, there’s a chance that many of us will not survive as businesses. But if we just quit completely, it’s guaranteed that we will not survive."

Parade organizers, meanwhile, are trying to look ahead to next year. DeLatte, with the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club, said canceling the Annunciation Playground block party was also a loss for the event’s beneficiary, St. Michael’s Special School. He said the club is still accepting donations to support the school in lieu of proceeds the block party normally generates (those can be directed to Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club, P.O. Box 1613, Harvey, LA 70059).

Second Harvest Food Bank is accepting donations of the cabbages, potatoes and other produce that St. Patrick’s parades traditionally hand out as throws. The hunger-relief organization said such contributions will boost its fresh food distribution efforts for Louisiana families in need.

Whatever the weekend brings, DeLatte said his club wants people to stay positive and take the long view.

“Our biggest message every year is that we want to retain the culture of the Irish Channel,” he said. “We want to retain the sense of culture and community that’s been instilled in our families and our club members and to support our local charities.”

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