Uncovering The Mystery: Green Beer Day Celebrations Explained

Green Beer Day is an unofficial day-long party near the Miami University campus, where celebrants drink beer dyed green with artificial or natural colouring. The tradition was started by bar owners in Oxford, Ohio, and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before Miami University's spring break. Green Beer Day started in the early 1980s after a change in Miami University's academic calendar caused St. Patrick's Day to fall during spring break when students were gone.

Unofficial party near Miami University campus

Green Beer Day (GBD) is an unofficial day-long party near the Miami University campus, where celebrants drink beer dyed green with artificial coloring or natural processes. The tradition was started by bar owners in Oxford, Ohio, and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before Miami University's spring break. Green Beer Day started in the early 1980s after a change in Miami University's academic calendar caused St. Patrick's Day to fall during spring break when students were gone. Local bar owners tried various names for their new day of drinking (including "Wild Irish Fun" in 1981) before settling on the name "Green Beer Day" in 1982.

The day is celebrated through outside parties and DJ'ed music. At noon, there were a few scattered students eating and drinking Uptown. The streets were mostly empty except for some students dressed in green, a man in a green dinosaur costume and townies. Ainsley Stone, a Miami alum, started celebrating early this morning at Side Bar. “I work at Side Bar,” Stone said. “So … I brought everyone coffee this morning because I know they worked a long shift overnight.” Stone said some of her friends who also went to Miami came to town just for GBD and she hopes that her and friends keep the party going all day long.

Kendall Kretzinger, a senior media and communications major, and Erin Smith, a senior geology and environmental science major, said that Green Beer Day is a way to reconnect. “I think it’s been a bonding experience because we’ve both been so busy the past couple years that we haven’t been able to really do anything,” Kretzinger said, “but like knowing we’ve been busy, gave us the energy to come up this year.” Kretzinger and Smith said they lived in the same dorm their first year at Miami, and are mainly excited about meeting new people and celebrating together. “We don’t have a set plan because we like to go with the flow a little bit more,” Kretzinger said.

Before Green Beer Day, Miami's student government launched a campaign called "Life is Priceless" encouraging students to call 911 and highlighting Miami's Good Samaritan policy. The day is considered Miami University's "biggest tradition" although it is not sanctioned by the university.

Beer dyed green with artificial or natural colouring

Green Beer Day (GBD) is an unofficial day-long party near the Miami University campus, where celebrants drink beer dyed green with artificial or natural colouring. The tradition was started by bar owners in Oxford, Ohio, and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before Miami University's spring break.

The idea for Green Beer Day came about in the early 1980s after a change in Miami University's academic calendar caused St. Patrick's Day to fall during spring break when students were gone. Local bar owners tried various names for their new day of drinking (including "Wild Irish Fun" in 1981) before settling on the name "Green Beer Day" in 1982.

Green beer was consumed in Oxford on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) prior to the university calendar change just as it was all over the country. Green Beer Day has been called Miami University's "biggest tradition", although it is not sanctioned by the university.

Green Beer Day is celebrated through outside parties and DJ'ed music. At noon, there were a few scattered students eating and drinking Uptown. The streets were mostly empty except for some students dressed in green, a man in a green dinosaur costume and townies.

Ainsley Stone, a Miami alum, started celebrating early this morning at Side Bar. “I work at Side Bar,” Stone said. “So … I brought everyone coffee this morning because I know they worked a long shift overnight.” Stone said some of her friends who also went to Miami came to town just for GBD and she hopes that her and friends keep the party going all day long.

Celebrated annually on the Thursday before spring break

Green Beer Day (GBD) is an unofficial day-long party that takes place near the Miami University campus, where celebrants drink beer dyed green with artificial or natural processes. The tradition was started by bar owners in Oxford, Ohio, and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before Miami University's spring break.

The day started in the early 1980s after a change in Miami University's academic calendar caused St. Patrick's Day to fall during spring break when students were gone. Local bar owners tried various names for their new day of drinking (including "Wild Irish Fun" in 1981) before settling on the name "Green Beer Day" in 1982.

The day is celebrated through outside parties and DJ'ed music. At noon, there are a few scattered students eating and drinking Uptown. The streets are mostly empty except for some students dressed in green, a man in a green dinosaur costume and townies. Ainsley Stone, a Miami alum, started celebrating early this morning at Side Bar.

Kendall Kretzinger, a senior media and communications major, and Erin Smith, a senior geology and environmental science major, said that Green Beer Day is a way to reconnect. Kretzinger said, “I think it’s been a bonding experience because we’ve both been so busy the past couple years that we haven’t been able to really do anything,” but like knowing we’ve been busy, gave us the energy to come up this year. Kretzinger and Smith said they lived in the same dorm their first year at Miami, and are mainly excited about meeting new people and celebrating together.

Before Green Beer Day, Miami's student government launched a campaign called "Life is Priceless" encouraging students to call 911 and highlighting Miami's Good Samaritan policy.

Started in the early 1980s after a calendar change

Green Beer Day (GBD) is an unofficial day-long party near the Miami University campus, where celebrants drink beer dyed green with artificial coloring or natural processes. The tradition was started by bar owners in Oxford, Ohio, and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before Miami University's spring break.

Green Beer Day started in the early 1980s after a change in Miami University's academic calendar caused St. Patrick's Day to fall during spring break when students were gone. Local bar owners tried various names for their new day of drinking (including "Wild Irish Fun" in 1981) before settling on the name "Green Beer Day" in 1982.

The practice of drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day is a relatively recent tradition, but it represents a beverage innovation that is — much like the holiday itself — enjoyed globally. Over the last century, green beer has continued to go hand-in-hand with St. Patrick's Day festivities.

Green beer was created in the early 20th century in New York, and since then, it has become a staple drink to serve on St. Patrick's Day. The beverage is so popular, that since the 1980s, there's been Green Beer Day, which falls on the Thursday before spring break. If you're hosting a St. Patrick's Day party, make sure to have plenty of green beer on hand! Green beer is made by adding green food coloring to light-colored beer. Although it's traditionally served on St. Patrick's Day, green beer isn't Irish, it's American. Green beer was first made in 1914 by Thomas Hayes Curtin, an Irish-American doctor who dyed beer green for a St. Patrick's Day celebration at his Bronx-based social club, the Schnerer.

Called Miami University's biggest tradition

Green Beer Day (GBD) is an unofficial day-long party near the Miami University campus, where celebrants drink beer dyed green with artificial coloring or natural processes. The tradition was started by bar owners in Oxford, Ohio, and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before Miami University's spring break. Green Beer Day started in the early 1980s after a change in Miami University's academic calendar caused St. Patrick's Day to fall during spring break when students were gone. Local bar owners tried various names for their new day of drinking (including "Wild Irish Fun" in 1981) before settling on the name "Green Beer Day" in 1982.

The day is celebrated through outside parties and DJ'ed music. At noon, there were a few scattered students eating and drinking Uptown. The streets were mostly empty except for some students dressed in green, a man in a green dinosaur costume and townies. Ainsley Stone, a Miami alum, started celebrating early this morning at Side Bar. “I work at Side Bar,” Stone said. “So … I brought everyone coffee this morning because I know they worked a long shift overnight.” Stone said some of her friends who also went to Miami came to town just for GBD and she hopes that her and friends keep the party going all day long.

Kendall Kretzinger, a senior media and communications major, and Erin Smith, a senior geology and environmental science major, said that Green Beer Day is a way to reconnect. “I think it’s been a bonding experience because we’ve both been so busy the past couple years that we haven’t been able to really do anything,” Kretzinger said, “but like knowing we’ve been busy, gave us the energy to come up this year.” Kretzinger and Smith said they lived in the same dorm their first year at Miami, and are mainly excited about meeting new people and celebrating together. “We don’t have a set plan because we like to go with the flow a little bit more,” Kretzinger said.

Before Green Beer Day, Miami's student government launched a campaign called "Life is Priceless" encouraging students to call 911 and highlighting Miami's Good Samaritan policy. Green beer was consumed in Oxford on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) prior to the university calendar change just as it was all over the country. Green Beer Day has been called Miami University's "biggest tradition" although it is not sanctioned by the university.

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