Crawlers Bob and Yvonne Thacker enjoy the Pub Crawl every year. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Many European cities have public pub crawls that act as social gatherings for the local expatriate communities and tourists. These crawls focus on the social aspect of meeting new friends and being introduced to new bars in a strange city.

On St. Patrick’s Day many people in towns all across America, whether by DNA or not, enjoy the thrills and hopefully the luck of the Irish. Celebrations from pub crawls to festivals can be found in every community from coast to coast with little exception.

For 11 years, Mesquite residents old and new have celebrated their chosen Emerald Isle heritage by partaking in the St. Patty’s Day Pub Crawl; it’s the one day a year open containers are overlooked in Mesquite.

This year, the parade of costume clad leprechauns of all shapes and sizes marched their way from the Eureka to the Stateline Casino. While some of the stops along the way were much larger than others, the crowd that gathered from place to place quickly packed, without trouble, any space that was available, some much more than others, but servers were both attentive to the crowd and swift with the pour so everyone who ordered was able to enjoy their libations and the good company of some new friends.

Dennis Hangey was more than willing indulge the participants as well as the casual observer with Irish favorites such as Danny Boy at each stop along the Eleventh Annual St. Patty’s Day Pub Crawl. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

When the whistle blew, it was off to the next stop with Dennis Hangey and his bagpipes leading the way like the Pied Piper. Hangey was more than willing indulge the participants as well as the casual observer with Irish favorites such as Danny Boy at each stop that included the Virgin River, Peggy Sue’s and the Golden West Casino as well.

Costumes for the Eleventh Annual Pub Crawl were outrageous and varied, just as they should be for any respectably dressed leprechaun like the one created by the Mesquite Showgirls Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Mesquite Showgirls enjoyed posing with crawlers and visitors and without a doubt donned more than their fair share of smiles for many “Kodak moments.”

Costumes were outrageous and varied, just as they should be for any respectably dressed leprechaun. The parade drew the attention of many wandering eyes and created hearty laughter from the crowds already in the establishments when the ‘green gang’ came wandering in.

Dennis Hangey, much like the Pied Piper, led the crawlers to each stop from the Eureka to the Stateline Casino. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Those who were able to complete the crawl and worked up their appetites were able to indulge in the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner. Fun was rampant and troubles were few making the 11th Annual St. Patty’s Day Pub Crawl another active, fun and successful event in Mesquite.