Your 2020 South Side Irish Parade Survival Guide

CHICAGO (BEVERLY) — The 2020 South Side Irish Parade has been canceled or postponed. It will not occur on Sunday, March 15 as planned due to heightened concerns over the worldwide outbreak of the new coronavirus. But for residents of Beverly, Morgan Park, the entire South Side and nearby suburbs it is still indeed "parade week," and a time to celebrate Irish heritage. Find below our detailed "survival guide" to the parade had it gone on as scheduled.

The Details

• Who: Everyone who is Irish on St. Paddy's Day, so everyone
• What: South Side Irish Parade, with 100 entries
• When: The parade starts at noon on Sunday, March 15
• Where: Western Avenue in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. The parade will begin at 103rd Street and will run along Western all the way to 115th Street.
• Why: Celebrating families and Irish heritage

Updated Weather Report

Follow the updated weather forecast for Sunday, March 15 in Beverly-Mt. Greenwood 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 Roger Caplis, a retired priest and former associate pastor at St. Cajetan, will say the mass.

The Race

The 2020 Emerald Isle Mile, sponsored by Running Excels, begins at 11:30 a.m. on March 15, 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. This will be the final running of the Emerald Isle Mile, organizers have said.

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 likely 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.

Parade Gear

New 2020 South Side Irish Parade apparel is available at the South Side Irish Imports store at 3446 W. 111th St. in Mount Greenwood.

Pub Specials

Several local establishments along Western Avenue will have entertainment, drink specials and food menus during and after the parade. Check back here later in the week for specifics on what each bar has planned for the day.

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

"Thankful for Catholic Elementary School Teachers" is the group honored as the parade grand marshal this year. The group will consist of teachers from a number of Catholic elementary schools in and around the neighborhood.

The 16 schools serving as co-grand marshals are Christ the King, Most Holy Redeemer, Queen of Martyrs, St. Barnabas, St. Bede the Venerable, St. Benedict, St. Cajetan, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Christina, St. Ethelreda, St. Gerald, St. Germaine, St. John Fisher, St. Linus, St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Walter.

Parade Honoree

This year's parade honoree will be the Tom Hopkins Foundation. The foundation was created in memory of Tom "Papa Hops" Hopkins, a beloved St. Cajetan parish resident who lost his battle with melanoma in 2014. It helps other families affected by cancer and youth athletics.

Parade Committee Co-chairs

Jim Smith and Tim McSweeney.

Parade Queen

Bailey O'Connell, of Mount Greenwood, is the 2020 South Side Irish Parade Queen.

Parade History

This year's event will mark the 42nd South Side Irish Parade. The parade started in 1979 when a group of neighborhood kids, known as the Wee Folk of Washtenaw and Talman, and their families marched around the block in little buggies and with homemade posters.

Did You Know? Even though the parade was not held in 2010 and 2011 due to heavy drinking and belligerence that led to 60 arrests made by police during the 2009 parade, the original families of Washtenaw and Talman did not see their tradition interrupted. Members of the Coakley, Hendry families and others marched along the sidewalk, the full route the parade would have had from 103rd to 115th, both of the years the parade was not held in its traditional sense.

Also: Parade planners have confirmed a total of zero people have been arrested at the parade since the family-friendly version was brought back in 2012. Let's keep it that way!

Read more on the history of the South Side Irish Parade

Schedule Of Events

• 9 a.m. - Floats begin staging on Western Avenue
• 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. “Thankful for Catholic Elementary School Teachers” and Tom Hopkins Foundation 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

• Representatives from 16 local area Catholic elementary schools as Grand Marshal
• 15 bagpipe and marching bands, a mobile brass band and performance arts group
• Chicago Police Honor Guard
• Caddy Shack theme Midlothian Country Club - 1st private Club on the South Side o Chicago
• 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

Parade Lineup

The full parade lineup can be found here.

New To The Parade

A number of parade entries will be making their debut in 2020, like Rainbow Youth Connections. The local LGBTQ+ group for young artists and writers secured an entry by raising the $500 needed for the application fee in less than 48 hours. The funds, according to group co-founder Steve English, were raised almost exclusively by heterosexual mothers in the Beverly neighborhood.

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.

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 Parade Day, which is an unofficial "high holiday" for residents and business owners in Beverly and Morgan Park.

Popular local businesses along the parade route include County Fair, Bookie's and The Quilter's Trunk.

If the bar scene is for you, there are plenty of fine Irish taverns on the west side of the street to choose from. Famously, there are no drinking establishments on the east side of Western.

Portable Restrooms

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

Parade Day Coverage

Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch will bring you comprehensive South Side Irish Parade coverage throughout the week. Follow this survival guide and all the links here for updates on everything parade-related.

We will likely have videos and photos posted promptly to the Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch Facebook page beginning shortly before noon on Parade Day. 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) and my kids, Jaykeb and Charlotte, as we capture as much as possible from the day.

Marriage Proposal...? We know the South Side Irish Parade has been the backdrop for more than a few marriage proposals over the years. Like this one from last year. If you'd like your marriage proposal captured via a live or recorded video, send us an email (tim.moran@patch.com or lorraine.swanson@patch.com) and we will work with you on coordinating that.

Parade Sponsors

Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, Lakeshore Beverage, The Beverly Review, Raising Cane’s, IUOE Local 399, IUOE Local 150, Chicago White Sox, Goose Island, Illinois Lottery, Midlothian Country Club, Home Run Inn, Flood Brothers, ComEd, County Fair Foods, McCready Law, South Side Irish Imports, Go Ape, Mercedes Benz of Orland Park and Hope Enrichment Center

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

We welcome those from all over Chicago, and everywhere else, to join us in the best St. Patrick's Day neighborhood celebration outside of Ireland itself. Sing along with the great Terry McEldowney with the "South Side Irish" anthem below.