Big crowds at local bars this morning. The line outside Dublin Square in East Lansing stretched down the street. Some told us they had been lined up for hours, waiting to get inside and begin drinking in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Dublin Square opened early this morning at 7 a.m.
There will be live music all day, plus the NCAA tournament on the big screen. In an effort to get people home safe, the City of East Lansing will be offering free parking overnight in certain spots.
Those lots are: Evergreen Avenue Parking Lot, 275 Evergreen Ave. (behind Peoples Church) Meters Only; Entrance on Evergreen Avenue, Dublin Square Lot, 311 Albert Ave. Entrance on Albert Avenue, East Lansing City Hall's West Lot, 415 Abbot Road Entrance on west side of Abbot Road Bailey Street Parking Garage, 126 Bailey St. Entrance on east side of Bailey Street, between Grand River Avenue and Albert Avenue.
East Lansing DMB Coordinator Amy Schlusler says "We encourage those who are celebrating Saint Patrick's Day in downtown East Lansing to celebrate responsibly and find a safe ride home."
People who are planning to drink all day can also catch a free ride on CATA's Entertainment Express. The Trolleys will begin running at 4 p.m. and run every 15 minutes until 3 a.m. To catch a free sober ride, board a trolley at any of the 23 Entertainment Express bus stops along the route between downtown Lansing and downtown East Lansing. All other CATA routes and services will operate as usual and require the normal fare to ride.
Police will also be boosting patrols, targeting drunk drivers.
