The City of Champaign has released emergency rules that will govern Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day, planned for March 5 on the Illinois campus.

Bars in the campus area must raise their minimum entry age from 19 to 21 during Unofficial, and they must also have a doorman aged 21 or older checking identification at the entrance. … The mayor’s office will not issue any keg permits for private parties, making it illegal to possess more than one keg per residence. … Last year, Champaign police issued 351 citations on Unofficial, and spent more than $13,000 on police overtime, Champaign police Lt. Brad Yohnka said Friday.

News-Gazette: Emergency rules announced for “Unofficial” in Champaign

No matter what you do on Unofficial, be responsible and be safe.

Unofficial is a holiday at the University of Illinois that students celebrate 1-2 weeks before St. Patrick’s Day. Created because St. Patrick’s Day often falls during Spring Break, it is a celebration that closely resembles St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in other cities: green clothing, green beer, and greetings of “top of the morning to ye’.”

The date of Unofficial 2010 will be March 5, 2010.

Recently, Unofficial celebrations have taken on a negative connotation. As Urban Dictionary puts it, “The day is marked by bars opening at 8 in the morning, kegs on front lawns, students from nearly all surrounding schools flooding the campus to celebrate by drinking obscene amounts of alcohol. It has been said that more drinking occurs on Unofficial at U of I than occurs at many other school’s entire years.”

Every year the issue becomes a hot-button issue on the Illinois campus around mid-February as the holiday approaches.

Parent Programs Office: Unofficial
The Quad: Irish Illini
Unofficial: U of I Wiki

Be sure to check back here for more information regarding Unofficial. Have some Unofficial news? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy Musebrarian (Creative Commons License).