Sober St. Patrick's Day

Sober St. Patrick’s Day®



We’re working to change the face of St. Patrick's Day across the world.


The Irish national holiday – St. Patrick’s Day – is celebrated around the world and nowhere more enthusiastically than in America, where hundreds of major cities and smaller communities host annual parades.

The Issue
Unfortunately, the holiday has become increasingly associated with uncontrolled levels of drinking and public intoxication, alienating citizens and audiences everywhere who want to enjoy the best in traditional Irish culture and "reclaim the true spirit of the day."

The Solution
In New York City in 2012, in the presence of celebrities from the arts, senior Irish politicians, world-class musicians and dancers, television cameras, and a sold-out crowd, Sober St. Patrick’s Day® was launched on the world. This new kind of party attracted significant media coverage and was, by any standards, a roaring success – no green beer or bad behavior, just a really good time!

Spreading the Fun
Appealing to a broad audience, Sober St. Patrick’s Day®is well positioned to grow into a larger and even more impactful annual event in 2013, and corporate sponsorship opportunities are now open.

In addition to our goal of making the New York City party bigger and better, we hope to bring versions of Sober St. Patrick’s Day®to other cities in the United States - and abroad. We’ll begin by identifying at least one other live venue with potential in 2013, exploring the feasibility of hosting an event in Dublin and/or Belfast. Thus, Sober St. Patrick’s Day® will exponentially grow into a multi-city festival offering sponsors unique branding opportunities and direct access to a multi-dimensional audience.

We’ll also explore creation of an international gathering using real-time communications technology to video stream Sober St. Patrick’s Day®, permitting anyone with a computer - and larger groups with access to a big screen - to enjoy the live entertainment at "satellite parties.”

Mission Statement of Organization
“To reclaim the true spirit of the day and to change the perception and experience of what St. Patrick’s Day can be, both in the U.S. and abroad, by providing family-friendly, alcohol free events celebrating the best of Irish music, dance and comedy.”

Call To Action
We will use your generous contributions to make this year’s event an inspired meeting ground of sober celebration as well as furthering this cause in the coming year to multiple cities across the world.


Permission
Sober St. Patrick’s Day® is a registered trademark. Usage of this name without permission is prohibited by law. Go to the "Join Us" page of our website - soberstpatricksday.org - for instructions re: possibly hosting your own event utilizing this name.


Tax-Deductible
Sober St. Patrick's Day® is in formation as a 501(c)(3) organization. In the interim, we have a not-for-profit fiscal sponsor to process tax deductible donations. Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.



Our Founder/Producer
William Spencer Reilly
New Yorker William Spencer Reilly is a television executive and special events producer. In his most recent position as EVP at Odyssey Networks and President & CEO of Lightworks Pictures, Bill Reilly won over 30 national television awards for his work as Executive Producer on Hallmark Channel Movies of the Week, several series, docudramas (among them, the Emmy nominated film, "PATRICK", on the life of Ireland's patron saint, narrated by Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne), and other drama specials for the BBC such as "Florence Nightingale" and "C.S. Lewis".

Prior to working in television, he had an extensive career in the Broadway theatre and in producing major Special Events in New York, running day-to-day operations of The American Theatre Wing, founders of the Antoinette Perry "TONY” Awards.

As Executive Director of Fordham University's Sesquicentennial Celebration, he produced 88 events for the university's year long celebration, including WAITIN’ IN THE WINGS®: The Night The Understudies Take Center Stage", one of the most highly acclaimed events in Fordham's 150 year history.


In recognition of his work creating Sober St. Patrick’s Day®, Mr. Reilly was presented with the Caron Community Special Recognition Award in June 2012.


Our Development Director

Ruth Riddick


Ruth Riddick serves as Sober St. Patrick’s Day®'s Development Director and on the board of Crossroads of Maine. She designs and facilitates Sobriety Together peer learning programs in the recovery community.


Information on this year's event

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2013
Time: 3:00pm to 6:00pm
Location: Regis High School (60 East 85th Street, NYC)