Where to find St. Patrick's Day parades, festivities
Many towns welcome St. Patrick's Day with parades filled with lively Irish music, floats, costumed characters and spirited celebrants wearing everything from shamrock-shaped glasses to kelly-green wigs.
With St. Patty's Day falling on a Thursday this year, most of the parades have been pushed up — so you have until Saturday to go green. Palatine's parade, however, will be March 19.
Here is a look at suburban and city parades:
Dundee Township/East and West Dundee
Fireworks start the fun at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11, from the footbridge at North and Water streets in East Dundee. Guests can visit with and pose for photos with pirate “Captain Jack,” aka actor and tribute artist Rick Aspen.
The Kilted 5K race takes place at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 12, at the bike trail at 10 S. River St. in East Dundee. Registration is $40. Awards will be given for different age categories in the race.
The annual Thom McNamee Memorial St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday. The parade marches south from Wenholz Avenue and Water Street, goes east on Barrington Avenue and then turns south on River Street, ending at Jackson Street. The grandstand is on River Street, just south of Barrington Avenue.
For information, visit dundeestpats.com.
Naperville
Join the West suburban Irish for Naperville's annual St. Patrick's Day parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12. The parade kicks off at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St., and continues south on Mill Street, east on Jefferson Avenue and south on Main Street. The parade ends on Main at Water Street. The Rotary Club of Naperville hosts the Gerald Subaru St. Paddy's 5K race, run and walk prior to the parade at 8 a.m. The 5K follows the parade route through downtown Naperville. (630) 375-7725 or wsirish.org. Information on the 5K is at stpaddysday5k.com.
Lake Villa
Lineup for this noon parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 12, at Palombi Middle School, 133 McKinley Ave. The parade heads north on McKinley Avenue to Burnett Avenue, then to Sherwood Avenue, Grand Avenue and Cedar Avenue, ending on Railroad Avenue by the Lake Villa VFW at 130 E. Grand Ave. Nonperishable food donations for the Lake Villa Township Food Pantry will be collected from spectators during the parade. A corned-beef-and-cabbage meal will be sold at the VFW following parade. A hot dog plate is also available. (847) 356-6100 or lake-villa.org.
St. Charles
Local Irish-American residents will join together to serve as the official grand marshal at the 17th Annual St. Charles St. Patrick's Parade at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12. The parade steps off on Main Street, between Sixth Street and 4th Avenue. The parade will feature Irish dancers, Irish music, school groups, bands, service clubs and floats. In addition to the parade, the Clean as a Whisker pet grooming shop in St. Charles is sponsoring a “Deck Out Your Lucky Dog Contest.” Decorated dogs are invited to walk in the parade. Prior to the parade, the Arcada Theatre, at 105 E. Main St., hosts a dance show at 10 a.m. featuring local dance troupes. For information on the day's events, call (630) 443-3969 or visit downtownstcharles.org.
Chicago
The dyeing of the Chicago River kicks things off at 9 a.m., with the city's parade at noon Saturday, March 12. The parade starts at Balbo and Columbus Drive, then proceeds north on Columbus. The viewing stand is located in front of Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, at Columbus and Congress Parkway. Visit chicagostpatsparade.com.
Palatine
Palatine's St. Patrick's Day parade is part of the town's annual Paint the Town Green celebration. The parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 19, at the corner of Wood and Oak streets in downtown Palatine and continues west on Wood Street to Smith Street and north to Colfax. The parade will also serve as a nonperishable food and paper product drive for Journeys the Road Home, an organization serving the homeless. The public can donate items such a bottled water, diapers, toiletries and more. An Irish Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Durty Nellie's at 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. The market features baked goods, gifts, dance performances by the Trinity Irish Dancers and more. For information on Paint the Town Green, see stpatspalatine.com.