Partygoers have packed the beaches in Fort Lauderdale to celebrate St Patrick’s Day – with one telling DailyMail.com she comes every year for the ‘environment and booze’.
Bikini-clad girls in emerald green and lads swaggering across the sand in top hats and a blazer littered the beach as spring break got into full swing.
Thousands of spring breakers flocked to Florida beaches to continue drinking on the Irish holiday just yards from families hosting BBQ’s.
One told DailyMail.com that they had travelled from Naples for the weekend after seeing the crowds and two girls fighting, in a tradition called Oklahoma Drills.
Madelyn Werder, 24, added: ‘We came here to see the Oklahoma Drills, the fighting on the beach and wrestling, we haven’t seen it here today yet, but we’re excited to see that.
A reveler combines Celtic and Norse themes in this striking beachside outfit
Onlookers clear a space and gather to watch as a wrestling match takes place on the beach
The emerald green bikinis came out of the closet for Sunday on the beach
‘That’s why we came all the way from Naples, the partying is fun, the drinking, we’re going to bar hop around – we’ve been told that Senor Frogs is the best place to go for a margarita and drinking and dancing.’
Her younger sister Maria, 21, added: ‘We’re here celebrating St Patrick’s Day, the partying is great, were with a great group and having a great time.’
DailyMail.com witnessed revelers in tiny green bikinis drinking on the beach and others smoking drugs – with some being forced to drink water as early as 2pm after the boozing became too much.
Several women were carted off by friends after staggering out of the beachfront bars, which were offering special deals for St Patrick’s Day.
But others insisted they were in for the long haul and planned to bar hop for the rest of the day.
Deanna, 24, from Michigan, told DailyMail.com that she had been coming to Fort Lauderdale for four years.
‘I always come back here for St Patrick’s day,’ she said. ‘It’s a blast and the environment is amazing.
Shamrock and roll: partygoers made sure to employ green modes of transport
And the partying continued long into the night for thousands on the strip near the beach
Forty shades of green: Everyone was seasonably dressed for the Irish saint’s day
Bars were keen to capitalize on the Celtic theme as the evening wore on
There were no shortage of refreshments available for the sun-soaked vacationers
And while the drinks came in all shapes and sizes, green was the color of choice
These two risked a spring break of a more serious kind as they tussled on the beach
‘We haven’t had an issue with the cops as long as you keep it low key, they’re checking on people but they’re getting in the spirit,’ one reveler said
‘The partying is insane, and the drinks are flowing. I’m from Michigan so the weather up north is nowhere near as nice as here. We’re enjoying the sunshine, and the people are fun.
Her friend, Jessica, 21, added: ‘We’re here for spring break, St Patrick’s Day and my friend’s birthday so we’re celebrating her.
‘You must be drunk though because there are a lot of people on the beach and in the clubs. We make it fun though, our group, people are fun and if you can’t have fun, you aren’t with the right people.
‘We haven’t had an issue with the cops as long as you keep it low key, they’re checking on people but they’re getting in the spirit. So long as you aren’t blatant about it then it’s fun.’
It comes after neighboring city Miami shut down any spring break celebrations, declaring that they were ’breaking up’ with the tradition.
Three nightclubs – M2, Mynt Lounge, and Exchanged – lost their bid to have the curfew overturned, with Judge David C. Miller denying their request on Saturday.
Several managers claimed to have lost millions in revenue because of the curfew but accepted that the restrictions had prevented trouble and fatalities that had plagued previous years.
The court battle comes after officials in Miami announced plans earlier this year to bring about tougher restrictions after two deadly shootings last year.
Officials put in curtailments which include parking fees reaching $100 and early bar closures at 6pm to rein in the chaos.
Spring Break last year saw 488 arrests in Miami Beach, more than 230 of which were felony offenses, and more than 100 firearms were seized.
Even the shades were green for the big day on the sun-drenched beaches of Florida
Nothing was going to waste among this young group of friends as the afternoon wore on
There’s always time for a photograph when you are young and enjoying yourself
Others just chose to soak up the most un-Irish sunshine as they strolled to the beach
Memories will last a lifetime for many enjoying the traditional right of passage
And the bars were a sea of green with some determined to ensure St Patrick was honored
But the safety concerns didn’t stop Fort Lauderdale from welcoming spring breakers, with Mayor Dean Trantalis has welcomed the students with open arms.
Despite a citywide ban on alcohol, coolers, tents, tables, or loud music on the beach, thousands of college students openly flouting the rules as police watched on.
Many vehicles were pulled over by cops who set up a DUI checkpoint along the seafront, with those playing loud music and revving engines also spoken to.
Officers made only ten arrests between March 4 and March 12, with only three being related to spring breakers, as students praised officers for their laid-back attitude. Figures for this weekend are not yet available.
They have also been attempting to recruit spring breakers, with on officer telling DailyMail.com they had 200 sign up since the start of March.
Cops are also challenging beach goers to a push up contest – with prizes available – or a chance to win a smaller item with trivia quizzes.
Micahel Ruiz, 25, who grew up in the city and plays rugby, told DailyMail.com: ‘I love it down here, the energy and the people are the best. I
‘It’s the closest you can get to a rugby family down here – celebrating Ireland’s win from yesterday over Scotland too on St Patrick’s Day. The vibe in Fort Lauderdale beach is amazing, and we’re gonna have a great time.’
Thousands packed the streets for a parade on Saturday, with a festival offering family friendly options around a mile from Las Olas beach.
Other locals chose to take part in a bar crawl around the city, with a bus picking up and dropping off revelers at several Irish establishments.
Jen Chirinos celebrated the holiday with a pint of Guinness at Waxy’s bar with her boyfriend Shaun Hutchinson.
The Miami natives travelled 45 minutes north to the packed bar in Fort Lauderdale to party, telling DailyMail.com: ‘People are for sure avoiding Miami proper rather than here because of the lockdown.
‘But we’re here to have a great time, the food is amazing. The pours are good too.
Police officers challenged some beachgoers to test their strength in a push-up contest
Thousands crowded to the beach at Fort Lauderdale after restrictions were imposed in Miami
But the revelers did not stray very far from their connections on social media
The strong spring sunshine threatened to scorch any pale Irish complexions on show
But sunhats a plenty shielded the cautious from too much ultraviolet
Same time next year? Some at least will be back for Spring Break 2025
We’re probably just going to enjoy our time here but other people are going off on pub crawls, there is a lot going on here!’
Shaun added that they’d both travelled to Dublin and sampled a pint of the black stuff from the Guinness Factory – declaring Waxy’s a ‘solid pint’ and that they’d ‘done it right’.
Other locals participated in a charity run dressed in green tutu’s before heading to the bars, with one telling DailyMail.com that Florida had hosted the first parade in the US for the holiday.
St Augustine hosted the parade in 1601, according to the History Channel, and was a colony under Ricardo Artur, the colony’s Irish vicar.