With the 2012 edition of State Patty’s Day quickly approaching, bars -and how they elect to go about the day- will be a heavy topic of conversation. Last night, the Tavern Association of State College met to discuss plans for downtown establishments come February 25th. The association is led by Jennifer Zangrilli, operations manager at Dante’s Inc which includes The Deli, Mario’s, Inferno, Bar Bleu, and Hi-Way Pizza. Earlier today, Zangrilli released the following statement to Onward State:

Tavern Association of State College fully supports the activities and decisions of PSU Residence Halls, the UPUA, IFC and SC Borough. All Tavern Association members are concerned about the impact that this particular event has on the community & university. Each member will be deciding on their own what they will do on SPD that will be best for their business & the community.

The Tavern Association exists to be a sounding board for tavern owners. It does not have the power to bind its members to any decision.  In 2010, tavern owners agreed to treat the day as if it were any normal Saturday, devoid of special promotions. Last year, several downtown establishments either did not open or closed their doors early for the “holiday”.

Stay tuned for more details as Onward State will have comprehensive State Patty’s Day coverage, including the closures of any downtown drinking establishments, over the next few weeks.