Paddys day in Toronto

retalivity

So, after spending the past 2 paddys day's in Canada but having a not-great time spending it with a crowd of idiotic students in London Ontario, Im going to Toronto this year.
I've booked a hotel in Toronto for the Sunday, & booked the monday off work. Would ideally have liked to have gone on the saturday, but will be going up early sunday morning as the gf is working late sat night.

So any boardsies around Toronto for paddys day? Plans?
Myself, I will probably join the parade in the morning before knocking around the likes of pj o'briens & mcveighs downtown all day.

Phonehead

Word of warning, people (Canadians) line up outside these pubs from early morning! last year a gang of around 30 of us ended up in the Town Crier (A Belgium Pub) there were probably more Irish there than in all the Irish Bars around town. Don't know if I will do anything this year but my advice is if you are going to one of the Irish Bars, be there for breakfast;)

retalivity

yeah i thought about that, but between leaving London early and going to the parade first, theres no chance ill be in early. The fact its a subday makes me think that it qill quieten down later in the day, so dont mind going on a tour and hitting the irish bars later on.

It was the same down here last year...one big 'irish' (about as Irish as the coffee im drinking now) pub in the city and it was wedged from 10am.
All alternative pub recommendations are welcome!

hdowney

Not there this year, but if you enjoy and plan on coming down next year I'd probably be around!

retalivity

bump.

So the parade begins at noon, not 10am as i had previously thought. Plan is to go to drive up in the morning, check in to the hotel &* drop the car, and head up to bloor for the parade. Has anyone ever marched in the parade? I was in New York in 2009 and they allowed people to march under their countries banner...im assuming the same will happen here.

Afterwards, a pub crawl is in order methinks...

Celly Smunt

Check out listowel! Serious party celebrations go on there

Kev_2012

I was there on a trip last year and was in Niagara falls for the day, but heading out in Toronto, the Irish Embassy had a massive queue outside it and we ended up going to PJs (which had it's doors closed), with a group of Canadians.

We knocked on the door and they told us it was closed and the Canadians left so myself and my friend knocked again and asked the owner (think he's from louth or something?) why they were closed so early on paddys day. He asked us where we were from and he brought us in drinking till 4/5 in the morning when we said Limerick. Good times!

OneColdHand

retalivity wrote: »

bump.

So the parade begins at noon, not 10am as i had previously thought. Plan is to go to drive up in the morning, check in to the hotel &* drop the car, and head up to bloor for the parade. Has anyone ever marched in the parade? I was in New York in 2009 and they allowed people to march under their countries banner...im assuming the same will happen here.

Afterwards, a pub crawl is in order methinks...

Not sure if a pub crawl is the best idea. There'll be queues to get in everywhere.

retalivity

OneColdHand wrote: »

Not sure if a pub crawl is the best idea. There'll be queues to get in everywhere.

Yah, im sure there will be. Im hoping to get in the door somewhere and as it's sunday, possibly things will die down in the evening. take it as it comes i suppose!

Eutow

retalivity wrote: »

So, after spending the past 2 paddys day's in Canada but having a not-great time spending it with a crowd of idiotic students in London Ontario, Im going to Toronto this year.
I've booked a hotel in Toronto for the Sunday, & booked the monday off work. Would ideally have liked to have gone on the saturday, but will be going up early sunday morning as the gf is working late sat night.

So any boardsies around Toronto for paddys day? Plans?
Myself, I will probably join the parade in the morning before knocking around the likes of pj o'briens & mcveighs downtown all day.

Might be heading to McVeighs myself on the Sunday with a few friends. Last year was a big disappointment. Went to one of those organised events in Downtown and wouldn't recommend. Having to queue for ages to get a ****e can of beer or cans of beers - depending on the amount of tokens you bought, and they were small cans - and surrounded by idiots. I would stick to a bar or maybe have a house party.

Eutow

Kev_2012 wrote: »

I was there on a trip last year and was in Niagara falls for the day, but heading out in Toronto, the Irish Embassy had a massive queue outside it and we ended up going to PJs (which had it's doors closed), with a group of Canadians.

We knocked on the door and they told us it was closed and the Canadians left so myself and my friend knocked again and asked the owner (think he's from louth or something?) why they were closed so early on paddys day. He asked us where we were from and he brought us in drinking till 4/5 in the morning when we said Limerick. Good times!

Will they be doing that this year again? If so, I would go. PJ's is a good spot, much better than the Embassy, even though they are owned by the same company/person.

retalivity

i was thinking mcveighs myself, but not til later as id guess it will be black with people in the afternoon.
Strangely enough, in all my time in toronto, ive still never been to PJs. The embassy is nice to look at inside, but is one of the blandest pubs ive ever been in.

leggit

So will most people not be going out Saturday night considering most people will be working Monday morning?

retalivity

leggit wrote: »

So will most people not be going out Saturday night considering most people will be working Monday morning?

Canadians, yes. However, most of the Irish people I know (myself included) are taking the monday off...

leggit

retalivity wrote: »

Canadians, yes. However, most of the Irish people I know (myself included) are taking the monday off...

I'll end up going out both nights probably, just going to be shockingly hungover Monday morning :eek:

OneColdHand

leggit wrote: »

So will most people not be going out Saturday night considering most people will be working Monday morning?

Yeah I'd say so. The house party I'm going to on the Saturday for that reason.

ciaran67

This is how ridiculous it is here. Last year we ended up in the Dovers Arms in Vancouver - A Rangers pub. It was mobbed with people in green. Oh the irony.

rusheen

ciaran67 wrote: »

This is how ridiculous it is here. Last year we ended up in the Dovers Arms in Vancouver - A Rangers pub. It was mobbed with people in green. Oh the irony.

What about a rangers supporters club in an irish pub ?!
Fado's "Tradional Irish pub" in Atlanta doubles a Rangers pub !

greenteaicedtea

rusheen wrote: »

What about a rangers supporters club in an irish pub ?!
Fado's "Tradional Irish pub" in Atlanta doubles a Rangers pub !

"Fado" is a traditional Portuguese style of music, so that doesn't surprise me LOL.

greenteaicedtea

I happened to be in Montreal for St. Paddy's Day weekend a number of years ago, and they have a massive parade and the pubs were packed. The streets were packed too, it seems that drinking in the street is not a big deal there.

retalivity

Quebec is very european with its drinking laws, whereas ontario seems to still be run by presbyterians.

I was in Toronto all week, and going back tomorrow morning for paddys day. Even yday, there was some buzz around the city. Went for a few pints waiting for my train and got talking to a few people from home working in a pub. theyve no idea what to expect this weekend