Crowds brave wintry weather for Chicago's South Side Irish Parade
St. Patrick's Day weekend festivities continued Sunday with the South Side Irish Parade in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood.
Dozens of floats and hundreds of marchers took part in the parade along Western Avenue between 103rd and 115th streets — braving chilly and snowy weather. The Big Shoulders Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides support for Catholic schools in Chicago, was the grand marshal this year.
The Mount Sion Program at Brother Rice High School, an inclusive special education program that allows students with developmental or learning disabilities to attend the school with their peers, was the parade honoree.
Grace McKee, an alum of Mother McAuley High School who now works with the aviation consulting firm Ricondo and Associates, was this year's parade queen.
McKee was raised in the Beverly neighborhood, and her family is known for its multigenerational association with the Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band — which bills itself as Chicago's oldest bagpipe and drum band.
The Stockyard Kilty Band has been part of the parade since it began in 1979 as a brief march along two residential blocks by the "Wee Folks of Washtenaw and Talman."
Other bagpiper and drum bands, school groups, and the Chicago White Sox with mascot Southpaw atop a van were among the numerous participants.
CBS News Chicago also participated.
A total of 77,000 people turned out to watch the parade. Organizers said the turnout was somewhat smaller than usual because of the wintry weather — but it was still more than enough to have a good time.
Snow and cold also didn't stop the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the Division Street nightlife district on the Near North Side. Shamrock & Roll went on as planned.
The street festival on Division Street between Dearborn and State streets began at noon Sunday and was set to run through 8 p.m. It featured green drinks, live music, Irish dancers, and plenty of family-friendly activities too.
