SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – A local artist’s work could literally be in the palms of thousands of hands in Savannah on St. Patrick’s Day.

The city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is one of the largest in America, drawing thousands of locals and visitors from around the world.

Those celebrating in Savannah’s Historic District can watch the parade and explore the city as they take their drinks to-go in a special cup designed by a local artist.

Brittany Curry, a graphic recorder and facilitator based in her hometown of Savannah is the owner of InkyBrittany’s. Her art was selected to be on the city of Savannah’s 2023 to-go cups.

“I feel excited to connect those new eyes with my platform.  For the last 12 years, I have been really heavily involved in community-driven work, covering topics that mean a lot to local citizens, social change, and to being able to now share that platform and get new eyeballs from those cups’ designs are a really big moment,” said Curry.

If the Curry name sounds familiar, it’s because her family has locally owned Curry Dry Cleaners for generations. Today, one is located on E. Derenne Ave., and the other is on Wilmington Island.

“My great-grandfather started it in 1944, and when he passed, my grandparents ran it and now the dry cleaners is currently run by my aunt and uncle, John and Lisa Curry.,” Curry explained. “Through the years we’ve all worked in the business.”

Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson pictured with Brittany Curry, the designer of the 2023 Savannah to-go cups. (Photo provided by Brittany Curry)

Although she spent a lot of her upbringing at Curry Dry Cleaners, every day before school, after school, holidays, sick days and vacations, Curry figured out a way to keep herself occupied with art. Some of her original artwork dating back to the early 90s can still be found.

“If you go to the location at Wilmington Island, in the corner, if you look about three-and-a-half-, four-feet up from the wall, from the floor, you will see some of my early work,” said Curry.

However, it is her work that was selected to go on the Savannah to Go Cups that has plenty of people talking as the design features shamrocks meshed with the Talmadge bridge, the Bird Girl Statue from “Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil”, the Gingerbread House, St. John’s Cathedral and Savannah’s City Hall.

2023 Savannah to-go cups. (Photo provided by Brittany Curry)

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on March 17, people will be having their cups filled with various beverages and celebrating.

Curry shared how she too plans to celebrate.

“The first thing I do is buy green food coloring from Kroger, and I get it early because it sells out,” she said. “So, the first thing on St. Patrick’s Day is I’ll put my corned beef in the crock pot with cabbage.  I’ll make breakfast, green grits, green eggs, and then I’ll walk through the park and see all of the floats and the parade getting set up.  I’ll usually watch the parade from Chippewa Square, which is where I usually run into all of my friends, social community people.”

She ends her day enjoying her corned beef and cabbage, which could certainly be accompanied by a refreshing beverage in a Savannah to Go cup that she designed.

The Savannah To-Go Cup program is an initiative managed by the Savannah Downtown Business Association (SDBA). They work with local artists and SDBA member businesses to supply locals and visitors the zero-waste, to-go cups. The cups are made from ball aluminum.

Cups are available for purchase for $1. For a complete list of places to purchase the cup, click here.