The St. Patrick’s Day Parade returned to Lake Villa on Saturday after two years off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are pumped,” said Stacy Michael, parade organizer and administrative services director for the village.
There were 72 parade entries this year.
“It’s always a wonderful day in Lake Villa,” said Mayor James McDonald, as he was tossing wrapped treats from a trolley while moving along the parade route on Cedar Avenue. Let’s get back to real life.”
The parade started from Palombi Middle School and it continued to Cedar Avenue downtown before ending at the train station. A corned beef and cabbage luncheon as part of the tradition followed at the Lake Villa VFW Memorial Post 4308.
“We’re super-excited to have the parade again this year,” Lake Villa Trustee Allena Barbato said. “There are not many St. Patrick’s Day parades in this area. So we get a lot of people that come.”
Driving a red public works vehicle was parade grand marshal Glenn McCollum, a lifelong Lake Villa resident and also the village’s director of public works.
It feels, “incredible,” McCollum said, of being selected as grand marshal.
The parade started in 1993.
“We’ve been coming to this parade for years … just love this area,” Charles Ongena of Gurnee said.
Ongena and his wife Lisa are the parents of Colton, 11, a fifth-grader, and Parker, 7, a second-grader.
“We get to celebrate in person, it’s a good thing,” Charles Ongena said.
“We’re Irish,” Lisa Ongena said.
Parker wore festive shamrock sunglasses, and an emerald green hat. The hat was recently brought back from Ireland by his grandmother and aunt.
“He’s the parade kid, parties, parades and festivities,” Charles Ongena said about Parker.
“He (Parker) lives for holidays, one holiday after another,” Parker’s mother said.
Parker said he liked the sirens of parade first-responder vehicles.
“I care about St. Patrick’s Day because I get to wear green and yellow,” Parker said.
Christopher Lempa of Lake Villa held his daughter Lilliana, 3, on his shoulders to see the parade turn onto Cedar Avenue. Flashing lights were visible down the street, and Lilliana was delighted.
“We’re so excited!” Lilliana’s father said.
