The weather in Countryside was cloudy, windy and cool on Saturday, March 7, but Irish eyes – and even the non-Irish eyes – were smiling for the city’s 10th St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Folks came from near and far for a parade that started at 1 p.m. and lasted about 45 minutes as it wound through the city.
They were treated to floats, Scout troops, church groups, two pipe bands, two Irish dance schools and plenty of candy and other giveaways.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a St. Paddy parade without several politicians pressing the flesh and seeking their votes in the March 17 primary election and the November general election.
One participant, Kearney Builders, probably won votes as “best participant” for its freebies.
Once again, the company handed out White Castle burgers to hungry parade goers. Here are some of their stories:
Green beard for a day
Travis Stephen, 49, of Berwyn, used his kids’ hair chalk to color his brown beard green for the parade.
“This is the third year I’ve done it. Tradition. The kids like it,” Stephen said.
He sat on the east side of Brainard Avenue, near Plainfield Road, with son Charlie, 5, who looked forward to collecting free candy.
“Our daughter Riley is in it. She’s in Irish dance. She enjoys dancing and has been doing it since she was 3,” he said of Riley, now 7.
Riley is with the Harling School of Irish Dance in Countryside.
Riley and her other students wore bright pink sweatshirts. They performed now and then along the route. Pink and blue are the school’s colors.
“I’m Irish today”
Paolo Romano, 55, of Brookfield, was making his parade debut.
“I like parades. The excitement, seeing all the bands, the different types of entertainment, candy for the kids,” Romano said.
Romano, who is of Italian descent, said, “I’m Irish today.”
Dancing daughters
Kenny Modglin, 49, of Westmont, was there for daughter Annabella, 6. Mike Janus, 38, of Westmont, is the father of another dancer, Frances, 7.
Both girls dance for Harling School, located nearby on 55th Street. The dads sat on the west side of Brainard.
“This is her first year. She loves it,” Modglin said of Annabella.
Reminded that Irish dancing is a lot of work, he smiled and said “a lot of money, too.”
Frances also loves dancing.
“We came to the parade last year,” Janus said. “It always can be warmer. It’s Chicago. What are you gonna do?”
Hanging out
Laura Rodriguez, 48, of La Grange, brought son Augustine, 15. They sat along Brainard in bag chairs beside friend Kelli Kopp, 55, of Countryside.
“It’s my first year. I came to hang out with friends and neighbors,” Rodriguez said.
“I like to bring my son, to be outside,” said Rodriguez, who wore festive green headwear and a bright green hoodie she purchased at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Kopp, who attended the past three or four years, said she likes the candy and other freebies.
“Somebody passes out sliders from White Castle. I like when they throw beads, balls, sunglasses, whatever, I’m in,” Kopp said, adding that the parade “seems to get better each year.”
Eye-catching hat
There was no missing Rick McKay, 60, of Countryside, who wore a green felt hat – complete with flashing green lights – and a bright green sweatshirt.
“I think I found the hat at Wal-Mart,” he said.
For McKay, the annual parade “is about getting together with family and friends.” He brought his high school daughter and her friend.
“I may hop on the trolley after,” McKay added.
He referred to the free trolley that took revelers to and from several drinking establishments in Countryside after the parade until 7 p.m.
Planning ahead
Brent Svozil, 42 of La Grange Highlands, stood on the south side of Longview Drive near Brainard with daughter Brinley, 6.
He planned ahead, knowing Dad’s pockets can only hold so much.
Brent held a plastic bag that was about half filled with candy that Brinley promised to share with brother Colton, who was marching with Scout Troop 216.
“We come every year. We like it,” Brent said.
Calling the dentist
Speaking of free candy, Agnes Klimek, 38, of Countryside, joked, “I’m going to make an appointment for the dentist while we’re here.”
“We’ve got enough candy to last a long time,” she said standing at the corner of Longview and Brainard.
Son Cillian, 4, was busy working on a bag of Skittles. Her other son, Oliver, 1, was all smiles sitting in his stroller.
“They’re both here for the snacks,” said Klimek, who walked to the parade with her sons from their home a few blocks away.
Cillian replied “yeah” when asked if he was having fun. He then handed to Mom a Skittle he didn’t care for.
Where is that trolley?
There was no pot of gold waiting for some trolley users.
The free trolleys McKay has mentioned were to run from 2 to 7 p.m. And they did run smoothly for the most part..
However, a large group of people was stranded when a trolley never returned to the Flagg Creek Golf Course clubhouse before the 7 p.m. cutoff.
Instead of getting a free ride back to wherever they had parked, they had to call friends or hire Uber drivers to get lifts back to their vehicles.
Final thoughts
Around 2 p.m., Travis Stephen was asked his thoughts about the parade as he packed up the chairs he and Charlie had used.
“Very good,” he said, a two-word review sure to please the folks at Countryside City Hall, especially Mayor Sean McDermott.
“Everyone is happy. Everyone is smiling. It’s a good day,” Stephen said.
