The Irish have many traditions and here in the Southland ’tis the season for parades.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early with parades and related festivities this weekend with the Oak Forest Fleadh and Tinley Park Irish Parade and next weekend with the South Side Irish Parade.
Oak Forest Fleadh
First up is the seventh annual Oak Forest Fleadh (a festival of music pronounced “flah”) on Saturday, March 5, along Cicero Avenue between 151st and 159th streets.
Presented by the Oak Forest-Crestwood Area Chamber of Commerce with the City of Oak Forest, the Fleadh includes a parade, an open streets event, a 5K run/walk and an open house at pubs and restaurants.
The CNB 5k will be at 8:30 a.m. Participants are asked donate non-perishable food items for the St. Damian Food Pantry.
Afterward, everyone is invited to ride, walk, run, bike or skate a car-free Cicero Avenue at 10 a.m. as part of the Open Streets Initiative.
The Family Parade then steps off at 11 a.m. along Cicero Avenue from 157th to 151st streets. The grand marshal is the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.
Later in the day is the Pub and Restaurant Open House. Participating establishments from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., with a bus available starting at 7 p.m., include Beggars Pizza, 15600 S. Cicero Ave.; Blarney Stone Pub, 15400 S. Cicero Ave.; Marcotte’s Bar and Grill, 15501 S. Cicero Ave.; Mrs. O’Brien’s Pub, 15500 S. Cicero Ave.; Nite Games Bar and Grill, 5544 W. 147th St.; Oak Forest Bowl, 15240 S Cicero Ave.; Oliver’s, 6150 W. 159th St.; Rockin’ Horse Saloon and Grill, 5200 W. 159th St.; and Tap’s Pub, 15427 S. Cicero Ave.
Many establishments offer a full day of festivities.
Blarney Stone, which provides a heated tent area for parade viewing, opens at 7 a.m. for breakfast followed by music starting at noon by Sean & Charlie and others. Irish musicians and dancers also will perform March 17. Call 708-535-4800 or visit blarney-stone.net.
Oak Forest Bowl will offer bowling, food and drink specials plus entertainment by the Bagpipes & Drums of the Chicago Police Department and others in Jake’s Pub & Grill. Call 708-687-2000 or visit oakforestbowl.com.
The Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band will perform after the parade at Beggars Pizza, where drink specials will be offered all day and evening entertainment will be the band Uncovered and karaoke. Call 708-535-9500 or visit beggarspizza.com
For the Fleadh, free parking will be available all day and night in the Metra commuter lot at the southwest corner of 159th Street and Oak Avenue.
For more details, call 708-687-4600 or visit oak-forest.org.
Just across the border, Durbin’s at 14753 S. Cicero Ave. in Midlothian will host its annual Parade Day Festival beginning at 8 a.m. with a Bloody Mary and mimosa bar followed by Irish food specials at 11 a.m. and an outdoor tent event at 3 p.m. with entertainment by a DJ, Doonaree Bagpipe Band from Ireland, Blizzard of Ozz and Hairbangers Ball. Call 708-687-1700 or visit durbinspizza.com.
Oak Forest also is home to the Irish entertainment complex Gaelic Park, 6119 W. 147th St., where the annual Ireland on Parade festival kicks off Friday, March 4, and runs through March 17.
In addition to daily entertainment in Carraig Pub and Irish ceili and set dancing, numerous dance schools will perform and food buffets will be served.
Highlights include: St. Baldrick’s event at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, followed by crowning of the Irish Fest Queen at 7:30 p.m., and Irish tenor Paddy Homan’s “I Am Ireland” stage show at 8 p.m. March 12 ($25).
South Side Irish Sunday on March 13 will include mass, breakfast ($9) and four stages of continuous entertainment ($5, $3 for kids).
Festivities on March 17 include the annual corned beef and cabbage luncheon with entertainment at 1 p.m. ($25, reservations required) and free entertainment in the Carraig Pub and Emerald and Tara rooms.
Call 708-687-9323 or visit chicagogaelicpark.org.
Tinley Park Irish Parade
The 17th annual Tinley Park Irish Parade will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6.
It begins at Central Middle School, 18146 S. Oak Park Ave., and travels north along Oak Park Avenue.
The grand marshal is Tinley Wish, which recently celebrated its 20th year helping needy families during the holidays
Call 708-444-5000 or visit downtowntinley.com.
Before the parade, the annual Running O’ the Green 8k Run/Walk will take place from 7 to 11:30 a.m. at Bettenhausen Recreation Center, 8125 W. 171st St. Call 708-342-4200 or go to tinleyparkdistrict.org.
A gourmet breakfast will be served starting at 8 a.m., with corned beef sandwiches available at 11 a.m., at the American Legion Post 615, 17423 67th Ct. Call 708-925-7422.
Also on parade day, the Vogt Visual Arts Center at 17420 S. 67th Ct. will host a free Irish tea with soda bread, scones and other goodies from noon to 2 p.m. Call 708-614-6503 or visit tinleyparkdistrict.org.
At the end of the parade route is the VFW Bremen Post 2791, 17147 Oak Park Ave., which will have free entertainment starting at 2:30 p.m. by Joe McShane, the Blackbird Irish Dancers from Tinley Park and the Band of Brothers Pipe and Drum Group. The Post also will serve a catered lunch from Winston Markets. Call 708-532-2333 or visit vfw2791.org.
South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The legendary South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off at noon Saturday, March 13, at 103rd Street and Western Avenue and travels to 115th Street in Chicago’s Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods.
This year’s grand marshal is South Siders Fighting Childhood Cancer, a collaborative of neighborhood groups raising awareness and support for childhood cancer: Pat Mac’s Pack, Live Like John, Maeve McNicholas Memorial Foundation and Emily Beazley’s Kures for Kids.
The community honoree is 100 Club of Chicago, a 50-year-old organization dedicated to helping families of fallen first responders.
The Emerald Isle Mile will be at 11:30 a.m.
Call 773-916-7747 or visit southsideirishparade.org.
There’s no shortage of nearby spots for merriment involving drinks, food and music.
Hangouts on Western Avenue include: Barney Callaghan’s Pub, 10618 S. Western Ave. (773-233-6829 or barneycallaghans.com); Cork & Kerry, 10614 S. Western Ave. (773-445-2675 or corkandkerry.com); Cullinan’s Center Ice (formerly Cullinan’s Stadium Club), 11610 S. Western Ave. (773-445-5620); Dingers Bar, 10638 S. Western Ave. (773-238-3479); McNally’s, 11136 S. Western Ave. (773-779-6202); O’Rourke’s Office, 11064 S. Western Ave. (773-429-1598); and Sean’s Rhino Bar, 10330 S. Western Ave. (773-238-2060).
Beverly-area festivities aren’t just on parade day.
The South Side Irish Parade Film Fest will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago. The feature film “Brooklyn” and two film shorts will be screened. Musicians will perform before and after. Tickets are $16. A cash bar will be available. Call 773-445-3838 or visit beverlyartcenter.org.
Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Company at 10426 S. Western Ave. will offer many days of food and drink specials and music beginning March 10 with a performance by Dyed in the Wool, followed by Cloonan Dennehy and Friends March 11 and Otto Cavanaugh and Friends March 12. Call 773-779-2739 or visit horsethiefbrewing.com.
Not far from the parade route is 115 Bourbon St., 3359 W. 115th St. in Merrionette Park, where entertainment includes Then Again, Sean & Charlie, Rendition and Red Rebel County starting at 4 p.m. March 13; and a live broadcast with WGN at 7 a.m. March 17 followed by March Madness tournament airing at noon on 30-foot TV wall and music by Too White Crew and Larkin Brothers at 9 p.m. Call (708) 388-8881 or visit 115bourbonstreet.com.
Vickie Jurkowski is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
