Pandemic impacts St. Patrick’s Day plans second year in a row: What to expect in downtown Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. — St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are looking much different this year than they did in 2020.

But the pandemic is still playing a role in how Orlando bars are planning to handle the holiday.

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Last year, the U.S. went into lockdown right before St. Patrick’s Day. This year, the decorations are back up and crowds are expected to return.

“It won’t measure up to our normal past years, but I think it will still measure up to a really good day,” said Patrick Griffin, the general manager of Wall Street Plaza.

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Wall Street is still going to have DJs blasting music into the street, but it won’t block off the street like it has in the past.

Although it won’t be a normal St. Patrick’s Day, Griffin said something is better than nothing.

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Orlando officials said the city is planning to send in extra police officers to monitor crowds downtown on St. Patrick’s Day.