Your 2018 South Side Irish Parade Survival Guide

CHICAGO, IL - The 2018 South Side Irish Parade is this Sunday, March 11. We've gathered the parade participants, 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 11
• Where: Western Avenue in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. The parade will begin at 103rd Street and will run all the way to 115th Street.

The Race

The 2018 Emerald Isle Mile, sponsored by Running Excels, begins at 11:30 a.m. March 11, just prior to the start of the South Side Irish Parade, starting and ending at 104th and Western. This is the first time the race will be "out and back," as in previous years it started at 104th and finished at 112th. The one-mile race is limited to 15 minutes.

Live Stream

If you can't make it out to the parade, we've got you covered. 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 the crowds gather.

Parking

There will be no street parking on the east side of Artesian from 103rd to 111th beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. No parking will be allowed on Western Avenue from 99th to 119th beginning at 6 a.m. Expect vehicle traffic to be restricted on side streets surrounding Western Avenue from approximately 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Also, expect portions of all side streets leading to Western between 103rd Street to 115th to be closed. Wear comfortable shoes because you'll probably be doing some walking.

Pub Specials

Several local establishments along Western and 111th Street will have entertainment, drink specials and food menus during and after the parade. See a list of South Side Irish Parade Day 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.

Grand Marshal

Special Olympics Chicago will be the Grand Marshal. This year, the organization celebrates its 50th year of offering athletic training and competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It is one of the largest programs in the country offering training and competition for more than 7,500 athletes in 22 sports throughout the year. Special Olympics provides opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Special Olympic programming is available in more than 122 Chicago Public Schools throughout the city and in 23 Chicago Park District locations.

Parade Honoree

Amyloidosis Support Groups and The Martin McGarry Family will serve as the 2018 Parade Honoree. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to the support, education and empowerment of Amyloidosis patients, caregivers and former caregivers. Amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by deposits of amyloid protein fibrils in one or more organs causing the organ to malfunction.

Longtime Beverly resident Martin McGarry died on Jan. 24 after battling familial amyloidosis for the last six years. The disease also took the lives of his mother, two brothers, an uncle and multiple cousins. McGarry was a former Golden Gloves Boxing champion and ran McGarry's Boxing Club.

Parade Chair

Ed Haggerty, a longtime Parade volunteer and committee member, is the chair of the 2018 South Side Irish Parade. Greg Kovak, Jeannie Kovak and Pat Coakley are also committee members. Here's why Haggerty says he may get "a little emotional" while marching along Western Avenue on Sunday.

Parade Queen

Colleen Krahn, of Mt. Greenwood, is the 2018 South Side Irish Parade Queen.

Parade History

This year's event will mark the 40th 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

Schedule Of Events

• 9 a.m. - Floats begin staging on Western Ave.
• 11:30 a.m. - Emerald Isle Mile presented by Running Excels. 104th and Western Avenue.
• 11:45 a.m. - Ribbon cutting ceremony. Special Olympics Chicago, Amyloidosis Support Groups and The Martin McGarry Family cut the ribbon to kick off the parade at 103rd and Western Ave.
• Noon - Parade steps off at 103rd and Western Ave., marching to 115th and Western. Organizers are anticipating the parade will go on for two hours.

Remembering Paul Bauer

Entry #12 in the parade will be the Chicago Police Honor Guard, honoring fallen 18th District Police Commander Paul Bauer. Uniformed Chicago Police Department officers will march in honor of Cmdr. Bauer.

The parade committee invites attendees to honor Cmdr. Bauer and the Chicago Police Department by lining Western Avenue with American flags, Chicago flags, any CPD gear that shows our support and appreciation for Commander Bauer’s life and service.

Parade Lineup

To see the full parade lineup, buy a copy of The Beverly Review newspaper. They are available at several gas stations and stores in the neighborhood. The Review's "South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day Official Parade Guide" is robust with content and information on local businesses.

Parade Highlights

• 15 marching bands
• 9 parishes
• 2017 Rose of Tralee Teresa Daly
• 25 Roses and Escorts from all over the world
• Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon
• Consulate General of Ireland, Brian O'Brien
• Duhallow Choral Society, 50 member group from Kanturk, Ireland
• IHSA State Champion, Marist High School Girls Volleyball
• A six-foot tall Haribo Gummi Bear
• Local parishes, Irish family floats and numerous community organizations

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 phone. 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. You can buy a cup of fresh roasted coffee or a great dessert at Beverly Bakery or make a list of new stores that you want to stop back and visit.

Great local businesses on the parade route include Bookie's, Open Outcry Brewing and Treadfit.

If the bar scene is for you, there are plenty of fine Irish taverns on the west side of the street to choose from. Just remember that you are in a neighborhood, not frat row.

Portable Restrooms

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

Daylight Savings Time

Remember that clocks go ahead one hour at 2 a.m. on Parade Day. Make sure to account for the loss of one hour of sleep.

Parade Sponsors

AARP, Gilda's Club Chicago Presented by Team Hochberg at PERL Mortgage, Raising Cane’s, Chicago White Sox, ComEd, Blake Lamb Funeral Home and Illinois Lottery

Updated Weather Report

As of Thursday, temperatures are expected to be in the 30s come noon on Sunday. There's also a substantial chance of rain or snow. Dress accordingly.

'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.

Sing along with Terry McEldowney in the video below.

Photo: Parade goers in 2014 brave a cold, albeit sunny, day in Beverly / Patch file photo by Tim Moran