JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – On a brisk St. Paddy’s Day afternoon, several hundred participants braced themselves for the snowy and slippery dissent into Jamestown.

The 40th Annual Runnin’ O’ the Green was underway.

While participants join in the annual pub crawl in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the event also raises funds for Elks Camp Grassick and local cancer patients, having raised over $400,000 in its 40 year history. Run founder and creator Larry Knoblich told NewsDakota that the turnout was great from what he could see.

On Monday, Knoblich reported that 1,776 participants registered for the event. 926 preregistered with 850 registered on the day of the event.

Funds raised will not be known until after expected funds from businesses are received. Knoblich says participants who were in the run but did not register will hurt their donation totals.

For more on the history of the event, click here.

Below are some photos and video from the start of the event. More will be added later.