NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade is next Sunday. It is a big day for New Haven, the Irish community and local businesses.
Of course, planning the parade itself takes time, but it’s also a busy time for restaurants in New Haven.
They are planning everything from special menus to live music.
The parade may still be a week away, but it already looks festive at Anna Liffey’s. Staff have been getting ready for the parade for the past two months. It is one of their busiest days of the year.
“It’s a lot of hard work, getting up early, making sure you got everything ready, making sure everything’s prepared,” said Patrick Mansfield, owner of Anna Liffey’s.
The kitchen was busy on Saturday night, but it will likely be even busier next Sunday. The restaurant orders 400 to 500 pounds of corned beef for Parade Day, and getting it all ready to serve up takes time.
“We got to get a lot of corned beef and you’ve got to cook it then, so it’s a couple days cooking,” said Mansfield.
Anna Liffey’s isn’t the only place prepping for the parade. Staff at Christy’s Pub, like general manager Dayna Kasprzycki, are getting ready. It is their busiest day of the year, and one they look forward to.
“It’s a really fun day for staff,” said Kasprzycki. “The crowd is very energetic we’re all in a good mood. It tends to fly by very quickly.”
Christy’s and Anna Liffey’s will be opening early for breakfast on the morning of the parade. The celebration of everything Irish gets bigger every year, and it doesn’t end with the parade.
“Usually the day after I take a sigh of relief and then we’ve got to it all again on St. Patrick’s Day, the 17th,” said Mansfield.
