St. Patrick’s Day is the average college student’s favorite holiday to celebrate every year. For many, it is customary to arrive at the bars as early as possible to get a full day of the Irish festivities. Although, with the actual St. Patrick’s Day being on a Tuesday, the students and several bars decided to celebrate a couple of days early this year.

On Saturday, March 14, at one of Whitewater’s hottest bars, Cheapshotz, people were encouraged to come as they pleased anytime from as early as 6 a.m. all the way until the bar closed in the wee hours at 2:30 a.m.

Owner Dan Rodrigez was right there with everyone.

“[It’s] chaos, but in a good way,” said Rodriguez. “The kids came out pretty hard, they lined up at every bar pretty much at 5:30 a.m. It’s almost like they’re camping out just to be first in line.”

Rodriguez opens the bar every year at 6 a.m., then stays and works until late afternoon. He then takes a nap for a couple of hours and heads right back to work until bartime.

“Cheapshotz is always my favorite spot and for the past couple years. It’s been my favorite spot for St. Patrick’s Day too. They always have great deals,” said University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student Adam Nelson.

At Cheapshotz every year for St. Patrick’s Day, Rodriguez provides everyone with a T-shirt, all-you-can-drink green beer, mixed drinks and a breakfast in the morning that consists of donuts, muffins and other foods that may help the students prepare for their long day. All of that, plus entry into its St. Patrick’s Day beer pong tournament for only $25.

“I come to Whitewater every year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with my friends that go to school here, and it has become a tradition to start at Cheapshotz with breakfast and  AYCD (all you can drink),” said student Kyle Glainyk.

The celebration doesn’t have to end Saturday either. Cheapshotz will be running a special, all-you-can-drink promotion on Tuesday the 17th (the actual date of St. Patrick’s Day) for all students who come wearing their St. Patrick’s Day shirts from not only Cheapshotz, but any Whitewater bar.