Your 2019 South Side Irish Parade Survival Guide

CHICAGO — The 2019 South Side Irish Parade is this Sunday, March 17. We've gathered the parade highlights, pub specials, weather forecast, historical context and pretty much anything else you'll need or want to know before you head out to the parade. Follow our guide below and have a great Parade Day.

The Details

• When: The parade starts at noon on Sunday, March 17
• Where: Western Avenue in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. The parade will begin at 103rd Street and will run all the way to 115th Street.

Updated Weather Report

As of Saturday morning, we are looking at a 38 percent chance of snow for the morning of Sunday, March 17 in the Beverly-Mt. Greenwood area. There's a predicted high of 42 and low of 32 for the day. Follow the updated weather report here.

The Mass

St. Cajetan Catholic Church, 2445 W. 112th St. hosts the official South Side Irish Parade Day mass, which will begin at 9 a.m. Father Marty O'Donovan will come back to his former parish to say the mass.

The Race

The 2019 Emerald Isle Mile, sponsored by Running Excels, begins at 11:30 a.m. March 17, just prior to the start of the South Side Irish Parade, starting and ending at 104th and Western. The one-mile race is limited to 15 minutes.

Live Stream

If we can find a strong enough signal, the parade will be live streamed on the Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch Facebook page beginning shortly before noon. If you are there, make sure to wave or say hello to Patch editor Tim Moran (I'll be sporting a green shirt with the Patch logo on it) as I capture video throughout the parade.

Getting There

Driving is not recommended as parking will be limited. If you are in the area, it's best to walk. If coming from out of the neighborhood, Metra has added several trains on its Rock Island Line on Sunday and will make more frequent stops at its 103rd and 111th Street stations in Beverly and Morgan Park to accommodate parade-goers.

Street Closures

Western Avenue will be closed between 99th Street and south of 115th Street beginning as early as 9 a.m. Cross streets 103rd and 111th are also likely to be closed near Western, possibly as far west as Kedzie and as east as Longwood. Side streets near Western between 99th and 115th may also be closed as early as 9 a.m. as the crowds gather.

Parking Restrictions

Beginning at 6 a.m., there will be no street parking allowed on Western Avenue from 99th Street to 119th Street. At 8 a.m., there will no street parking allowed on the east side of Artesian from 103rd to 111th.

Parking restrictions are expected to be lifted by 3 p.m.

Pub Specials

Several local establishments along Western Avenue will have entertainment, drink specials and food menus during and after the parade. See a list of South Side Irish Parade pub specials.

Zero-Tolerance!!!

The parade had a two-year hiatus earlier this decade after rowdy crowds and heavy drinking put a damper on the family event. When the parade returned it was with a strict no drinking policy. Police and private security personnel will be out in full force stopping anyone with alcohol. You will also be banned from having alcohol on the Rock Island Metra before the parade.

If you're caught with open alcohol, fines of up to $1,000 for open containers of alcohol may be imposed. Security checkpoints staffed by private security and the Chicago Police Department will be surrounding the parade route. Also, anyone who witnesses a crime or encounters drunk behavior during the parade should call 911.

RELATED: No Arrests Made During 2018 South Side Irish Parade

Grand Marshal

The Grand Marshal of the 2019 South Side Irish Parade will be Honor Flight Chicago. The organization honors senior war veterans with a one-of-a-kind, all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Parade Honoree

Choose Kind, an organization dedicated to promoting kindness and raising awareness about Apert syndrome - a rare genetic disorder that affects the proper development of the skull, hands, and feet - will be the parade honoree. Beverly residents Kerry and Chris Lynch, parents of 7-year-old Mary Cate who has Apert Syndrome, have gathered several families from the Chicagoland area who have children with similar diseases to march with them.

Parade Committee Co-Chairs

Greg Kovak and Jim Smith

Parade Queen

Maggie Clifford, of Mt. Greenwood, is the 2019 South Side Irish Parade Queen.

Parade History

This year's event will mark the 41st South Side Irish Parade. The parade started in 1979 when a group of neighborhood kids and their families marched around the block in little buggies and with homemade posters.

Read more on the history of the South Side Irish Parade

This will also be the sixth time in parade history in which the event is held on the March 17 St. Patrick's Day holiday and the first time since 2002.

Schedule Of Events

• 9 a.m. - Floats begin staging on Western Ave.
• 11:30 a.m. - Emerald Isle Mile presented by Running Excels. Starts and finishes at 104th and Western Avenue.
• 11:45 a.m. - Ribbon cutting ceremony. Honor Flight Chicago and Choose Kind cut the ribbon to kick off the parade at 103rd & Western Ave.
• Noon - Parade steps off at 103rd and Western Ave., marching to 115th and Western Avenue. Anticipate timing: 2 hours.

Parade Highlights

• 15 bagpipe and marching bands including Environmental Encroachment, a mobile brass band and performance art group
• Irish dance schools and an Irish dance Academy
• Original Baby Buggy Parade Float From 1st South Side Irish Parade in 1979
• Floats with live Irish music
• Local parishes, Irish family floats and numerous community organizations

Family Time

The South Side Irish Parade would be nothing without great family traditions. Read about a few of them here. Several others will be celebrating their anniversaries at the parade. Meet a few of the couples who met at South Side Irish parades of years past.

Parade Day Hospitality

Beverly Covenant Church, 10545 S. Claremont Ave. will be open from 11:30 a.m. until a half hour after the parade for parade-goers looking to stay warm. They will have warm drinks and snacks, an area for childcare and a clean bathroom.

Pro Tips

You will want to claim your spot on Western Avenue early before the parade steps off. Wear comfortable shoes because unless you live close to the parade route you'll likely be doing some walking. Green attire is a must. And smile for the camera. Patch editor Lorraine Swanson will be taking photos throughout the parade.

After The Parade

While you are out and about, make it a point to stop in at a local business and give back to the merchants who support the event. Although some may be closed on Sunday for the Parade Day holiday.

Popular local businesses on the parade route include County Fair, DiCola's Seafood and Klees Golf Shop. Franconello, 10222 S. Western Ave. will be open from 5-9 p.m. that night if you are going to stay in the area for dinner.

If the bar scene is for you, there are plenty of fine Irish taverns on the west side of the street to choose from.

Portable Restrooms

Please use the portable restrooms that will be provided near the parade route.

Parade Sponsors

Paddy's Irish Whiskey, Raising Cane’s, Local 150, Chicago White Sox, ComEd and Mercedes Benz of Orland Park.

'Welcome To The South Side, Come Join Our Irish Fest'

We welcome those from other neighborhoods, towns, states and countries to come celebrate our Irish heritage with us. Everybody loves a parade, and to us there's no parade better than this.

So if you're Irish on the North Side, or Irish on the West.... Even if you're not Irish at all, sing along with the great Terry McEldowney in the video below.