Everyone is Irish on St Patty's Day
Ed Fuentes
Angeleno Mary O'Neil was all Irish at L.A. Live's Nokia Plaza.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Billed as the city's largest St. Patrick's Day celebration, L.A. Live's inaugural go at a salute to Public Safety and Irish Pride took place today out in the sun of Nokia Plaza. While perhaps not as well attended as recent events at Pershing Square, there were still plenty of celebrators.
With a beer garden, entertainment and displays, there were enough ways to toast your Irish Heritage to bring in even those without a drop of Dubliner in them.
Ken O’ Malley and the Twilight Lords played traditional Irish music and rock and roll on a stage that also featured performances by the 20-piece Los Angeles Emerald Society Bagpipe Band and the Dublin All-Stars Marching Band.
Just before Councilmember Tom “O”LaBonge was about to step on the stage, he assured blogdowntown that the missing parade will be back in 2011 after budget limitations prevented it from being held this year. “We’re working on having it on 11th Street,” LaBonge added.
While the dancing Leprechaun on stage with Ken O’ Malley is what many people may consider a traditional Irish celebration, there were some sincere moments. Honored were Kenneth Cassidy, LAFD Captain of the Year, and William Murphy, LAPD Captain of the Year. Actor Jack McGee sang the anthem in a traditonal tenor, and one young-at-heart woman stood proudly in the sun to gently wave an Irish flag as bagpipers played their set.
Guest on March 18, 2010, at 10:00AM – #1
There were enough people there to have lines out of all the open for lunch restaurants. So business was good. Also a lot of seniors adorned in green. Perhaps they feel closer to the old sod.
Guest on March 18, 2010, at 01:46PM – #2
That guy wearing the celtics jersey needs to be sent out of LA immediately.
D
Guest on March 18, 2010, at 04:23PM – #3
I guess that's the end of Pershing Square's event. Notice La Bonge all ready moved the parade route to the money center.
Guest on March 18, 2010, at 06:33PM – #4
The LA Live event was a joke. Bad attendance, bad location, a totally antiseptic feeling. And the capper was a beer garden with nothing but lousy Budweiser being served on St. Patrick's Day!! Bring it back to Pershing Square where there is at least foot traffic from people on their lunch break from work. This event belongs in a park, not in some money grubbing and corporate loving parking lot!
Guest on March 19, 2010, at 03:07AM – #5
I have to admit it was pretty weak and hot---no shade! They should have it back at Pershing Square. Also I hate Bud Light, I dont care if its purple.
Bert Green (@bgfa) on March 19, 2010, at 05:54PM – #6
The event at LA LIve is not the Pershing Square event moved elsewhere, it is an entirely different event. The City budget mess caused the cancellation of the parade and event at the Square. LA Live decided to hold their own celebration. Nothing wrong with that. Had both events happened, the same politicians would have likely attended each as well.
Similarly to the ice rinks last winter, they were 2 separate but complimentary things, and downtown was richer for it. Hopefully Pershing Square can get the funds next year.
Guest on March 20, 2010, at 12:48PM – #7
The Park Lady told both the this blog and the Downtown News money was allocated for the St. Patrick's Day event at Pershing Square. When the Young Dubliners could not play this year and the parade moved to LA Live, someone in Parks & Rec. called off the St. Pat's event at the park. Tom La Bonge went for the money and blew off the real downtown community. Bert as President of the Park Board you should know the above information and you should see if you can bring the event back to the Pershing Square.
Bert Green (@bgfa) on March 20, 2010, at 05:16PM – #8
I am not the president of the Pershing Square Board, Don. You know that yet you continue to state it falsely in anonymous comments. And if you claim to know so much about the Park operations, why don't you just use people's names? By "park lady" do you mean Louise Capone or Vicki Israel?
Dixon on March 21, 2010, at 02:25PM – #9
Why can't some big-name private enterprise sponsor a celebration at Pershing Square? For example, DowntownLALife/Gaydowtown--with its large, skilled staff and big budget--could take things over and put on the party. Why not??
Guest on March 21, 2010, at 06:57PM – #10
Luise Capone is the park director at Pershing Square. The Redbull party at Pershing Square was great. It was a private sponser but it was free to everybody who came to the event. Maybe a beer company could do next years St. Patrick's Day party at Pershing.
Bert Green (@bgfa) on March 21, 2010, at 07:59PM – #11
Louise Capone is the Pershing Square Recreation Director, not Park Director.