St. “Fratty’s” Day at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Morning on the Green
A look into how Cal Poly is joining forces with SLO PD to curb the St. Fratty’s street party tradition
Cal Poly is hosting a music festival in the early hours of March 15th to curb what’s called the “St. Frattys” street party tradition in San Luis Obispo. Morning on the green, a concert that will feature EDM artists Galantis and Zhu, will take place from 4 A.M. to 9 A.M. in the Cal Poly sports complex. The festival is intended to persuade students against gathering off campus, which has led to extensive damages and fines in previous years. Only 2,500 tickets were available for student purchase, which is a small percentage of the 22 thousand plus students currently enrolled. This event
serves as a stark contrast to the campus’s approach to past St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, shifting from containment to prevention. The concert event is aimed to provide an alternative way for Cal Poly students to celebrate, away from the neighborhoods near campus where past years have seen disorderly gatherings of several hundred students, according to Matt Lazier, Cal Poly’s media relation head. Lazier went on to say that most students don’t take part in unruly celebrations, and many participants are visitors from out of town or local residents not affiliated with Cal Poly. The vast ma-
jority of Cal Poly’s student body has not participated. In recent days, some students have threatened more destruction of property, promising more street gatherings this year in protest of not obtaining a ticket to the music festival. The San Luis Obispo police department is working alongside Cal Poly in these efforts. There will be city enhancement zones and doubling of fines for noise disturbances, unruly gatherings and public intoxication from March 14th through the 18th. Citations will begin at 700 dollars.
Crimes and Fines
Last year’s St. Fratty’s celebration in San Luis Obispo drew in over 6,000 people to a block party in a neighborhood near Cal Poly’s campus. As the festivities unfolded, many party-goers engaged in reckless behavior, including gathering on neighborhood home and car roofs. In response to the disruptions caused by these actions, the San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) issued over 90 citations for various violations, including public intoxication, open container violations, and noise disturbances. However, this year, authorities have made it clear that party-goers who commit similar crimes will not be offered misdemeanor
diversion prior to criminal charges being filed, according to a news release from the District Attorney’s office. Individuals who are caught breaking the law in connection with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration within the established safety enhancement zone will face criminal charges that require a court appearance. In an effort to curb disruptive behavior, fines for offenses in these zones will be substantially increased, with penalties for violations starting at $700. Additionally, fines for noise violations will begin at $1,000, reflecting the city’s determination to limit disturbances to residents and businesses in the area. Charges for property damage on campus will also be doubled, with significant consequences for anyone involved in vandalism or destruction of university property.
Last year’s celebration left its mark on Muir Hall, a freshman dorm on campus, which suffered significant property destruction. Windows were smashed, and debris littered the dorm’s halls, creating a hazardous environment. The aftermath of the destruction was captured in a viral TikTok video, which gained national attention, further highlighting the
chaos caused by the celebration. As a result, all residents of Muir Hall were collectively fined $100 to help cover the cost of repairs.
In addition to the new legal measures, the District Attorney’s office issued a call for responsible behavior during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The news release emphasized that while the holiday is a time for celebration, it should not come at the cost of public safety or respect for the community. Authorities stressed that disruptive and illegal behavior, whether on or off-campus, is not tolerated and will be met with significant repercussions. The San Luis Obispo police department and the Cal Poly administration are united in their commitment to ensuring a safe, respectful environment for all students and residents during the holiday, as they strongly encourage everyone to celebrate responsibly.
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9 DUI Arrests Noise Violations Open Container Violations Cases of Public Urination
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Past Partying Problems
St. Fratty’s has been an ongoing tradition in San Luis Obispo that has built on itself over the years, with each celebration growing larger and more chaotic than the last. While originally intended as a fun and festive way to mark St. Patrick’s Day, the event has become infamous for the numerous problems it causes every year. Last year, the block party gained national recognition after videos of destroyed dorms and residences on and around campus went viral. The images showed smashed windows, vandalized property, and other signs of chaos, quickly spreading across social media. The city reported a record-breaking number of criminal offenses at last year’s gathering, including over 160 citations issued by the San Luis Obispo Police Department for violations such as open containers, public intoxication, and climbing utility poles.
However, these citations only tell part of the story. The damage caused by the event goes far beyond minor infractions, with some incidents re-
sulting in severe property destruction. One of the most notable occurrences happened in 2019, when a large group of students climbed onto the roof of a house in the middle of the block party. The roof collapsed under the weight of the partygoers, sending multiple individuals to the hospital with injuries. This incident sparked a city-wide conversation about safety at large gatherings and led to increased police presence and enforcement in the following years. Additionally, there have been reports of cars being damaged during the celebrations, with partygoers vandalizing parked vehicles, smashing windows, and causing dents while celebrating on their hoods.
In response to these recurring issues, last year, dorm residents were required to financially compensate for the damages to their residence halls, even if they weren’t personally involved in the destruction. This led to significant fees for the students, with some paying over $100 each to cover the costs of repairs to Muir Hall and other campus facilities. This approach by the university was aimed at holding students ac-
countable for the collective behavior, regardless of individual involvement, in an effort to curb the damage-seek-
Before dawn, hundreds of street party celebrations of
St. Patrick’s Day street celebrations has continuously caused problems for the San Luis Obispo community
ing behavior that had become so common during the St. Fratty’s celebrations. The city and university have continued
to struggle with the negative impacts of this tradition, and authorities have warned that this year’s celebration will be met with even stricter measures. The safety enhancement zone aims to curb reckless behavior by imposing larger fines and ensuring that anyone caught committing ille gal acts during the event will face criminal charges. The introduction of these measures comes as a di rect result of the growing issues and saftey concerns surrounding St. Fratty’s.
students were already gathered for 2024 St. Fratty’s
