Hometown Irish Parade Returns To Plainfield After 2-Year Hiatus

PLAINFIELD, IL — For the past two years, downtown Plainfield, usually bustling with crowds and entertainment, has been quiet because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That changes March 13, as the Hometown Irish Parade will make its overdue comeback.

A spring tradition since 2002, the upcoming parade marks the 18th time the event has been held. The Village Preservation Association's celebration will step off at Plainfield Central High School, 24120 Fort Beggs Drive, at 1 p.m. The parade route, about a mile long, will take roughly an hour to complete, according to Debbie Olsen, a committee member and someone who has been involved with the parade since its beginning.

Running through downtown Plainfield, businesses will be open during the parade, and organizers encourage people to stay downtown and patronize shops.

Although the parade was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, some positives did come from those difficult times. Olsen told Patch that planning has been a little easier this year, since many sponsorships from 2020 have rolled over for this year's parade.

"It's freed us up to maybe consider improving the parade a little with more entertainment and some newer idea that we hadn't used in the past," Olsen said.

Paradegoers can expect to see three bagpipe bands, a high school drumline, various floats and many entertainment acts, including juggling and a gyroscope balancing act.

"I think we're expecting people are going to be excited to come out and do a community event outside since they've been cooped up," Olsen said.

Bill Habiger, an 80-year-old Joliet resident who owns the Opera House building, will serve as grand marshal of this year's parade.

"I consider it an honor to do it," Habiger said in a statement issued by the Village Preservation Committee.

The parade first began in 2002 when a group of neighbors, including Olsen, decorated a few floats, loaded their children onto them and traversed the block. From there, it grew each year.

"It's kind of amazing that it blossomed like that," Olsen said.

When the event was canceled at the beginning of the pandemic, with floats already set, the parade briefly returned to its roots to make its way around a single block.

"At that point, nobody was sure what COVID was or what it meant," Olsen said.

With about a month until the parade's return, organizers are looking for day-of volunteers to help with staging before stepping off. Local small businesses and organizations are also encouraged to join the effort and put together a float for the parade. The parade entry fee is $75, and applications are still open.

"We'll never be a really large parade ... but we're always looking for more participation," Olsen said.

Additional information about sponsorships, donating to the parade efforts and how to volunteer can be found on the Hometown Irish Parade website.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to say the parade steps off at Plainfield Central High School, not Plainfield North. Patch apologizes for the error.