PHOTOS: Finley's 1st Annual 'Finfest'

The first annual 'Finfest', a three-day party hosted by Finley's Irish Pub & eatery, featuring food, music and plenty of Irish spirits, was a huge success, according to pub owner Mark Ternes.

While cloudy skies hampered the St. Patrick's Day turnout a bit on Sunday afternoon, Ternes confirmed the crowds on Friday and Saturday nights more than made up for it.

"The blues festival on Friday night got a great turnout - you couldn't walk through the bar," Ternes said. "And we had probably close to a thousand people here Saturday night to see the Black Honkeys. It was incredible." 

"The event has been a big success. I'm very happy."

Ternes said he hoped to at least break even for the inaugural festival, which was a continuation of previous owner John Hendrick's tradition and was helped by the fact that St. Paddy's Day fell on a Sunday this year.

But he said regardless of the monetary rewards he may receive from putting the festival together, the long term benefits will make all the time, money and effort he put into the event worthwhile.

"Phil (Esposito) said he was ecstatic to do something like this for Largo," Ternes said of the Black Honkeys' lead singer. "We went ahead and booked them for next year already."

"I told him they helped put Finley's on the map, and that's just what I'm trying to do."

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