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Which Occasion Inspires Wisconsin's Heaviest Drinking?

Sunday's St. Patrick's Day is among the biggest binge drinking events of the year in Wisconsin. Is it the biggest?

 

Almost any national ranking of alcohol consumption finds Wisconsin near the top. Forbes Magazine named Milwaukee “America’s Drunkest City” in 2006. A story from 24/7 Wall St. ranked the state No. 6 among beer-drinking states in 2011, citing statistics that say Wisconsin has more binge drinkers and heavy drinkers than any other. And at least one study suggests Wisconsin has the most drunk drivers in the nation.

In a state that loves to find an excuse to lift a glass, which special event inspires the most drinking to excess? Vote in our poll and discuss the issue in our Comment stream.

  • Which special occasion makes Wisconsinites drink most to excess?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • St. Patrick's Day
        16 (39%)
    • Brewers Opening Day
        9 (21%)
    • Summerfest
        11 (26%)
    • Packers games
        5 (12%)
    Total votes: 41
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: Binge drinking, OWI, and Patch Poll

NObama 2012

12:07 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

I prefer drinking during day light hours. You can see the road better when driving home and the cops don't seem to look for the intoxicated driver as much between 11 am - 7 pm. I speak from years of experience.

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Greg

12:29 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

What is the difference between an Irish wedding and an Irish funeral? ? ?

One less drunk.

I would say St. Pats is probably the heaviest drinking holiday. When it falls on a work day the bars are crowded by 7am. I will celebrate the day with a not so Irish root beer float.
As was said in Blazing Saddles, bleep the Irish.

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Robert A

1:04 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Thank you Greg for your intelligent contribution......Moron

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alt ideas needed

1:21 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Greg, I thought your joke was funny and your comment was appreciated.

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Steve ®

1:40 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Personal attacks are a staple of the left and patch allows it.

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Hershal Webster

2:49 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

I think Robert A's alcohol problem is doing his talking for him.
Long live the root beer float!

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C. Sanders

5:07 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Greg can insult the Irish, and Patch could care less. We look forward to similar treatment of racist jokes and jokes about Mohammed.

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Nuitari

8:29 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Pubs: Ireland's #1 Sunblocker.

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C. Sanders

11:40 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

What has an IQ of 200? Poland

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C. Sanders

11:41 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

How To ID the bride at a polish wedding? She's the one with the clean bowling shirt.

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C. Sanders

11:43 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Q: What do you ask a man who's just converted to Islam?
A: Have you started beating your wife?

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C. Sanders

11:44 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Q: How come they canceled the Saudi Arabia Drivers' Ed program?
A: The donkey died.

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C. Sanders

11:54 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Q: What do you call an Ethiopian on a hunger strike?
A: Ethiopian

JustMe

12:34 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Summerfest. It's just a sea of drunks.

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Greg

1:02 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

But it is local. Beers / person opening day may be a more drunken event.

Nuitari

1:01 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

These maps intrigue me. The most liberal states consume the least alcohol? Must subsidize it with marijuana.

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alt ideas needed

1:20 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

what is wrong with marijuana? seems like a better alternative than alcohol.

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Greg

2:38 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

I think that regardless of the substance, our society has to make using to the point of being wasted, unacceptable. Education is key, when I was young nobody wore a seat belt, now it is the norm and is automatic for most. If something similar could be done to change the attitude for substance use, our society would be that much better off.

Steve ®

1:01 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Every night is a good night for Jack Daniels.

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Greg

2:19 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Still waiting on that intelligent contribution Robert A.

Lighten up skippy!

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Greg

10:16 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

"Can't stand those who think they're better than others for whatever reason. We are all human beings - none more important than the other."

Marty, You are a hypocrite.

Mike Itzenhuiser

5:09 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Wisconites don't need an occasion. They're all alcoholics.

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jbw

11:23 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Huh, guess my birth certificate was wrong then. Since I never drink does that mean I don't need to pay state and local taxes, because I'm not a Wisconsinite?

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Fred Fischer

5:26 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Another dumb comment from Mike.... Oh boy. Why don't you do yourself, your family and our community a favor and drive your car into the lake.

WaitingForTheSpark

6:33 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

When I was in Ireland a couple years ago I was surprised how many young girls were in the assorted Pubs. I was told by a local that Irish girls start drinking in Pubs at sixteen. The age of consent is seventeen. No wonder Irish women look like hell by the time they're 25.

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Steve ®

12:35 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013

When I was in Bulgaria 12 year olds were drinking in the clubs.

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M Ulander

9:24 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013

Mr. WaitingForTheSpark, you must have had on some kind of negative beer goggles. This sounds like bigotted fiction. Ordinarily, I would ask if it was anecdotal evidence but I would need to know your source. Where did you discover this? Perhaps you were kidnapped by the leprechauns?

carpediem

10:33 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

Our society will do nothing about addictions because addicts keep quiet. They sit in their old parents basement and blog nonsense, complain a little, divide a little more, have another one until they forget their pain, blame the politics, and hand over to money to Miller...

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jbw

11:12 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

How's that working out for you?

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carpediem

5:10 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013

Depressing to watch you all! I keep my eyes open.

me

12:08 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013

#6! Those states couldn't carry our jock.

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TOM

10:21 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013

WHO WOULD WANT TO CARRY YOUR JOCK ?WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO CARRY IT FOR GAY REASONS?? FESH UP!

TOM

10:03 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013

THE IRISH HONEYMOON WAS OVER WHEN "PETER OLE TOOLE WENT TO DUBLIN"

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jerry mislang

11:45 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013

It's a day to celebrate the Irish, which I plan on doing this afternoon while watching the Badgers kick some Buckeye butt.

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Rik Kluessendorf

1:36 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

I see two missing options:

1 - New Year's Eve
2 - Tuesday.

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shannon

3:26 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

Actually the day the most dwi's are given out and most drinking related accidents happen is Thanksgiving day

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me

5:42 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

I think ill have another drink

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Diane M Smith

9:07 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

I was a 3rd shift courior in the early 1990's. I started at 10PM. I worked on New Years Eve and the worst I have ever encountered was a car waiting for a flashing amber light to turn. Every single St. Patty's Day I encountered not only one, but two close calls with someone driving intoxicated. Plus plenty of other swerving vehicles. I also took notice that the day before the holidays, even Mother's Day I have seen drunk drivers.

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me

9:50 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

Mothers day is right. Them ol'ladies can put them away.

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Marty

12:12 am on Monday, March 18, 2013

Greg - I may be a hypocrite, but your still a tool. Your comments show your propensity to make people feel bad.

Scoring cheap points to make yourself feel better. Whatever it takes Greg!

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Slick Willy

12:15 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013

Is it only me that thinks WI is #1 on the drunk list because we do a better job @ enforcing the drunk driving rules?

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Fred Fischer

5:29 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I like to drink on the weekends when I'm out chasing girls. Girls are much more friendly when they're drunk. They'll let you do a lot.

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justwant2comment

7:25 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013

Although they were not choices in the poll, others are right about the day before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day and Mothers Day. Anytime folks have to get together with their families it seems a larger amount of alcohol is consumed which is kind of a sad commentary our our family life these days. The day before TG was popular when I was younger as that is when all of the college kids return from school and we got together with our friends. 3 of the choices given are hard days to drink heavily unless they fall on a weekend if you have a regular job. And the booze at Summerfest can get pricey if you drink all that much of it. In any case, let's hope those that overindulge all have a safe way to get home....

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Mr Lundt

9:34 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013

I can't decide between Obama's election or inauguration speech.

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