Bob Breen has been involved with the Pet Parade in La Grange since he was a kid, making his first appearance in the late 1940s.
His late father, Ed Breen, the driving force behind the parade, made sure his son marched down La Grange Road.
“I was in the first parade (in 1947). They dressed me as a clown or something. I hated it. It was so hot,” Bob recalled with a laugh.
Bob Breen and wife Susan Breen – basically the First Family of the Pet Parade – are stepping down from duties they’ve held for 30 years with the parade.
Susan is in charge of planning. Bob is on the raffle committee and “on most committees.”
They and others who have been involved with the annual event gathered for an 80th celebration of the Pet Parade held March 11 at the La Grange Area Historical Society, 444 S. La Grange Road.
This year’s parade starts at 9:30 a.m. May 30. The theme is “80 Years: Marching Through the Decades.” Folks are urged to dress in clothing from their favorite decade.
At the 80th party, cake, libations and plenty of memories were served.
Ellie Wood, 85, and Dick Wood, 86, have hosted a Pet Parade for years at their home on the east side of South La Grange Road in the 200 block.
“We get up early, early,” Dick said of the party preparation.
The menu features Ellie’s homemade potato salad, egg casserole and potato casserole, countless hot dogs on the grill and plenty of cookies.
“Fortunately,” Ellie said, “most of the party is outside in the driveway. For a couple of (rainy) years, we ate in the garage.”
As members of the historical society, they brought a poster from the 58th Pet Parade to display with other historical items on March 11.
The Pet Parade has carried on, Susan Breen said, “because it’s a family event, it’s a piece of Americana.”
“It’s just a good day for family. People come with their pets, their dogs, their families. They sit and they watch. There’s no politics. None of that. It’s a free day away from all of what’s going on,” Susan said.
Bob nodded and smiled: “We do need that more than once a year.”
Susan said she knows the parade “will go on and on” without them “because there are such wonderful people stepping up.”
People don’t realize, Susan noted, that nearly every participant in the parade is paid to be there.
Lyons Township High School’s marching band is a rarity, she said, as the musicians march and perform for free.
Shauna Baechle, relatively new to the parade, is a board member with Pet Parade Charities, the group that presents the parade every year.
“We got married in May 2005. We lived in La Grange Park. We were walking our dogs toward La Grange down Brainard. And we happened upon the parade. We thought it was amazing,” she recalled of that day 21 years ago.
She later learned her father, David Snyders, grew up attending the pet parade. Snyders, a Lyons Township High grad, now lives in Freeport, she said.
Next year, Baechle will be the parade director, taking the reins from Molly Price, who has held that role for about 10 years.
“I’ll take Molly’s place, if I can. Those are big shoes (to fill),” Baechle said.
Seeking funding is part of the job.
The parade relies on donations to help pay the cost of presenting the big annual event.
Many of those donations come from a raffle held each year for dozens of prizes.
Raffle tickets can be purchased at www.lagrangepetparade.org. Click on “ways to support” and you will be directed to the raffle, donations and sponsorships. Merchandise goes on sale in April.
Prices range from $10 for one raffle ticket to $100 for 15.
The top prize is $2,500. Second is a stay for two week nights at the Abbey Resort in Lake Geneva. Third is a $250 gift card from Hinsdale Nurseries.
Winners of more than 30 other prizes from businesses, each worth at least $100, will also be announced.
Raffle winners will be announced on May 21 at Milk Money Brewing, 75 La Grange Road. New this year will be a live raffle held that evening, Baechle said.
Donations are also accepted. If you donate $500 or more by May 15, you will get your name featured on a community donor recognition banner in the parade.
Entries are still being accepted for the coloring contest to determine the Pet Parade Junior Grand Marshal. The deadline is midnight March 31.
The winner is chosen by the La Grange Art League.
The contest is open to kids from kindergarten through the sixth grade. Questions? Contact Price at molly@lagrangepetparade.org
Marty Dunne, who announces each parade participant from his perch outside the movie theater, said the Pet Parade “brings multi generations back into town.”
Many La Grange residents host block parties the evening of the parade, said Dunne, who is a real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway.
The parade, held rain or shine, is always the first Saturday after Memorial Day.
