St Patrick's Day chaos starts early as 14,000 college students descend on Illinois town to celebrate (and enjoy the odd Guinness)

Known as 'Unofficial', event first started in 1996

It has become a way for college students from all over the country to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, which falls during Spring Break each year in mid-march

Parties thrown all over the town of Champaign, where the University of Illinois is based

Local police expecting hundreds of arrests for underage drinking and alcohol-related crime

It's a booze-soaked hoedown that, year after year, police attempt to shut down.

But the annual 'Unofficial St Patrick's Day' at the University of Illinois - which comes one week earlier than the Irish knees-up - was bigger than ever this year, with thousands of party-loving students descending on the city of Champagne for a day of beer-guzzling.

The event first started in 1996 with a day of drinking to replace the real St Patrick's Day, which falls during spring break on March 17.

Last year, students traveled from nine states, 15 cities and 47 colleges.

This year, 14,150 people registered as attending 'Unofficial' on Facebook.

Tobin Peters, center, party's down Green Street with his friends during unofficial St. Patrick's Day festivities on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Ill., on Friday March 7, 2014. (AP Photo/The News-Gazette, Rick Danzl) MANDATORY CREDIT

Paramedics prepare to load an intoxicated girl on a stretcher on Daniel Street during unofficial St. Patrick's Day festivities on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Ill., on Friday March 7, 2014. (AP Photo/The News-Gazette, Rick Danzl) MANDATORY CREDIT

A young woman rests after leaving a bar on Daniel Street during unofficial St. Patrick's Day festivities on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Ill., on Friday March 7, 2014. (AP Photo/The News-Gazette, Rick Danzl) MANDATORY CREDIT

'We've seen more people on Facebook this year saying they're coming to the event,' said Lt. Jim Clark of the Champaign police department told The News-Gazette.

'We want it to go away. All of our goals are to put an end to Unofficial.'

Lt. Clark and his department started a social media campaign to try and educate students against alcohol-related crimes.

They began posting warnings on Twitter about fines in an attempt to dissuade them from going overboard.

However hundreds are still expected to be arrested, mostly for underage drinking.

'We've cracked down more on bars the last few years,' Clark said.

'I'm not sure underage drinking is ever going away.

'It seems like we see (those) under 21 get more intoxicated, more transports to the hospital.

'Those who are 21 have been there and done that. Binge drinking is more with the young age.'

Jack Bryant, left, a University of Illinois freshman, and Kristin Springer, a sophomore, play bag toss in front of an during unofficial St. Patrick's Day house party in Champaign, Ill., on Friday March 7, 2014. (AP Photo/The News-Gazette, Rick Danzl) MANDATORY CREDIT