A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration!
Special Advertising Section
February 26, 2025
9
Message from the Chamber
This Saturday is St. Patty’s in Forest Park
W
LAURIE KOKENES DIRECTOR
e’re not expecting half a million people like they are in Dublin, but attendance at our St. Patrick’s Day Parade is just as impressive for a town of our size…and we’re celebrating 30 years next year!
We host the parade early in March (typically two weekends before St. Patrick’s Day weekend) for a couple of reasons: to help ensure we don’t compete with local or city parades for entrants or attendance, and to drive business to Forest Park before the ‘official’ St. Patrick’s Day/St. Patrick’s Day weekend. People often remark that the weather would be better if we moved the date up,
but that’s not how Chicago-area weather rolls. For example, we’ve had 70-degree weather on parade day, with temperatures in the 20’s the following Saturday. Over the last 29 years, it’s gone the other way of course, but Forest Park St. Pat’s Parade Day parade-goers are in it for the long haul so we always have a great turnout. So, regardless of the weather, we hope to see you there! As with any event we host, sponsors are key to making the parade happen. Their support allows us create an entertaining line-up that includes entries like Medinah Shriner’s parade units who receive an honorarium for participating. Event sponsorship also supports the overall work of the Chamber. Huge thanks to this year’s main sponsors: Title Sponsors: Village of Forest Park, O’Sullivan’s Public House; Ironworkers
Local 1, Laborers Local One and Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch. Four Leaf Clover Sponsor: Riveredge Hospital. Advertising Sponsors: Mohr Oil, McDonald’s Forest Park, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Republic Services, Fatduck Tavern and Grill, Currie Motors, Burke Beverage, Grand Appliance, U3 Coffee, Progress Center for Independent Living and Our Planet Automotive. Shamrock Sponsors: Grace Lutheran Church, The Original Hooters, Chicago White Sox, The Giving
Tree, Scratch Public House, Mid-America Carpenters Union, Forest Park Bakery, Smoothie King Oak Park, School of Rock, Robert’s Westside, Park District of Forest Park and Charlie’s Restaurant. Thanks also to every single member of the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce for their support. Together with the Village and other key organizations, we all work together to keep Forest Park strong. Happy parade day and happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!