Significant gathering for St. Patrick’s Day in Punta Gorda despite cool weather

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WINK) — Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Punta Gorda for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at Celtic Ray Public House, with visitors and locals braving cooler temperatures to enjoy live music, food, and drinks.

The annual celebration has grown significantly over the years.

“This is our 30th St. Patrick’s Day, and we’ve grown with the town,” said Max Doyle, co-owner of Celtic Ray. 

Doyle says the event regularly draws thousands of people to downtown Punta Gorda.

“Last year it was said to be somewhere around, give or take, 10,000,” Doyle said.

While Tuesday’s colder weather and a gas line issue affecting some nearby businesses created challenges, Doyle says the celebration was still getting underway.

“We were hoping to beat last year. I don’t know if that’s going to happen with the gas leak issue and the weather,” Doyle said. “But you know, people party in Chicago and Boston, so this can’t be that bad. We’re starting to get rocking now.”

Visitors from across the country said the cooler weather didn’t stop them from enjoying the festivities.

“We were going to do the old bar walk up and down the street because it’s a great experience over here,” said Tim Colvin, who spends part of the year in Port Charlotte and summers in Nebraska. “It’s just a great time, and the community really gets behind it.”

Others visiting the area said Florida’s version of “cold” still felt comfortable compared to the weather up north.

“Today’s a little bit colder for a lot of Floridians, but that’s not stopping the fun,” said Cindy, visiting from Dallas, Texas, alongside Julia from Wisconsin. “She’s from Wisconsin, and they just had a blizzard, so this is nice.”

Visitors say the festival atmosphere and community support make the event special.

“We’re liking the music, and we’re liking the beer,” Cindy said.

Local neighbor Lynn Snyder of Punta Gorda said the crowds picked up as the day went on.

“It certainly did impact it early on, but by about noon or so it really took off,” Snyder said.

Snyder also noted that some nearby restaurants were impacted by a gas line break earlier in the day.

“I do think that the people who would take the overflow from here are losing out today,” Snyder said. “But it’s just weather. We’re not used to having bad weather in the winter in Florida, I guess, but it was our turn.”

Despite the colder temperatures, crowds continued to gather throughout the afternoon.

Celtic Ray says its St. Patrick’s Day festivities will continue into the evening, with celebrations expected to last until 1 a.m.