After a brutal winter and slow sales, Quad City bar and restaurant owners are looking forward to a lift from Saturday's St. Paddy's Day partiers. Before, during, and after this year's bi-state parade.
"It's going to be a huge weekend," said Chef Kevin Steeber, at Me & Billy's in downtown Davenport, along the parade route on 3rd Street.
Steeber and his staff are prepared with 300 pounds of corned beef.
"We're making Irish tacos, corned beef potato skins, traditional, anything corned beef you want," he said, as tortillas sizzled along tender corned beef on the grill behind him.
Kavanaugh's Hilltop tavern in Rock Island is holding its 2nd annual St. Pat's Day bash, where a large outdoor tent went up Friday afternoon.
"Our crowd, its definitely increased, we get buses full of people that come through," said Tim Kavanaugh. "I'm already exhausted, and wait 'til Sunday."
Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba calls the 29th annual St. Patrick's Day parade a win-win.
"The bars love it, the restaurants love it, everybody. The hotels, because people come from out of town to get back with their families to enjoy the weekend," Gluba said.
"It fills up our bars and restaurants on both sides of the river," he said.