The streets of Boothbay Harbor were bustling like a busy summer afternoon Friday, March 17, but it’s not tourist season yet. It was St. Patrick’s Day, and the first-ever Boothbay Harbor Paddy Pub Crawl. The event raised $1,100 for local teachers to buy school supplies due to the recent flooding at Boothbay Region Elementary and Middle school this past February.

Seven local bars and restaurants came together to support the teachers and the local economy during the slow season. Over 100 participants decked out in green checked in at Brady’s and then followed the rainbow to Ports Pizzeria, China by the Sea, Marcel’s, Footbridge Brewery, Boathouse Bistro, and Pier 1 Pizza & Pub. Each stop featured a rainbow drink special and participants gathered a lucky charm. Those who collected all seven were rewarded with a pot of gold at the last stop, which included coupons, gift certificates, and other items from local businesses.

A big thank you to Janson’s, Windjammer Emporium, Smiling Cow, Log Cabin Shoes, Boothbay Self Storage, and Harbor Mart for their generous donations. Thank you, also, to A & C Creations for making the T-shirts, and Jax van der Veen, Pine State Beverage, Roopers, and the Chamber of Commerce for their help in marketing.

It was a lot of fun planning and coordinating the event, and we hope to continue the Paddy Crawl every year. Moving forward, we want to include as many businesses as possible, looking into opportunities to offer stay, play, and shop packages and making this a fun, safe event that locals and tourists look forward to every year. We’ll see you next year for another magically delicious crawl!