With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, the city of Westport is bracing for a lot of activity. Westport is home to one of the biggest Irish celebrations in the nation. Kansas City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade goes right through the heart of Westport and down Broadway and stops just before Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. Thousands of people each year look to continue the “after parade” activity in Westport, but many predict that this year Westport will see a decline in business.
Walking around Westport in the weeks before St. Patrick’s Day you will see signs in the windows of places like Kelly’s and McCoy’s advertising St. Pat’s specials. This is a town that takes the holiday very serious. Westport has a very rich Irish tradition and has multiple organizations with in it dedicated to Irish heritage preservation and providing aid to Northern Ireland.
Mary Collin is an Irish Westport resident, who has been involved in several different Irish organizations. Collin works for the Kansas City Public Library and considers herself and amateur historian. She lives in a high rise apartment complex off of Southwest Traffic way, and overlooks Westport. “I sit in my window seat on St. Patrick’s Day and watch all of the activity and I have seen a few very interesting things”, Collin say’s before exploding into laughter. “More puking in the streets than I care to admit…that happens a lot on Pat’s day.” Collins bookshelf is full of books about Ireland and Kansas City and includes a wide variety of Celtic poetry. “I have lived in Kansas city my Entire life. I was born in the Westport area, and then my family picked up and moved to Brookside. I later moved back when I got the job at the library.”In the last few years, with multiple violent incidents occurring in Westport, they are seeing a steady drop in the number of people heading to Westport on St. Patrick’s Day. “Nobody had to tell me that Westport is seeing less business on St. Patrick’s Day. I can see it from my window. Ten years ago, the streets and side walks were packed with people. Now…to be fair…there are still a lot of people, but nothing like years past. It seems like there were fewer problems down here then, it was more the fun hippie crowd.” Collin said with in a disappointed tone.
The man considered the father of Westport in John Calvin McCoy. The popular restaurant and micro brewery “McCoy’s Meeting House” was aptly named for him and is built on the site where his office once sat. Emily Jenkins has waited tables there the last two St. Patrick’s Days. “It’s really not that fun, to be honest. I mean…the money is good but it is just Bananas. People just get really sloppy. You get grabbed and yelled out…it just gets packed in there.” Jenkins said. “It just seems like every year somebody ends up hurt or the cops have to break up tons of fights. That’s why business down here is declining…that’s why people are going to the Power and Light District or to Weston. People just don’t want to be afraid for their safety. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like its dead down here on St. Pat’s or anything…McCoy’s and Kelly’s especially hold their own. Westport just isn’t the only place to head anymore,” she said.
In spite of other entertainment options there are many people that plan to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Westport every year. Jeff “Shotgun” Jaxon is the afternoon DJ on WDAF-FM and a Westport resident. St. Patrick’ Day also happens to be Jaxon’s birthday. “I always take St. Patrick’s Day and the day after off of work, because me and my friends typically tear it up in “The Port,” He said proudly. “There will always be people coming to Westport for St. Patrick’s Day…because it is the original place to go in Kansas City. It is a historic place, and you can really feel the history here…it’s not the same anywhere else.”
Westport bars and clubs have many hopeful signs sitting in there windows.”2 for 1 drink specials” and “free appetizer” signs are put up to lure business in, but there are other less obvious signs in Westport that suggest that business this year may not see the same boom that it has in years past. Regardless of the talk about this years St. Patrick’s being a “dud” The bar and restaurant owners of Westport are putting on a full court press for St. Patrick’s Day 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment