The first event resembling Unofficial took place in March 1995, when Saint Patrick's Day at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was scheduled during spring break. To avoid losing profits, ten bars in Champaign's Campustown, including several owned by Scott Cochrane, held a Saint Patrick's Day-themed event called "Shamrock Stagger" on March 8, 1995, two days before the university's spring break. Shamrock Stagger was promoted as the university's "official Saint Patrick's Day party", despite not being officially endorsed by the university.
