West Suburban Irish

2013 St. Patrick's Day Parade

Downtown Naperville

Saturday

March 16, 2013

10:00 am

Céad míle fáilte!

Plan now to join us as we celebrate our 20th year in 2013!

REGISTRATION FOR THE PARADE IS NOW CLOSED

Click HERE for the Parade Line-up.

CITY OF NAPERVILLE RULE ON THROWING OF CANDY (and other items)

For those participating in the Parade:

Please arrive at Naperville North High School between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

Please have eneryone in your group know you lineup number so they can quickly go to your place in line.

Parking at Naperville North is very limited, so please carpool or have someone drop off your participants at Naperville North.

There is NO PARADE PARKING in the West lot of the school. Please park in the lot in the Northeast corner of the school property.

Cars, floats, trucks, etc., can only enter Naperville North off of Mill Street, heading South from Ogden Avenue.

Please respect the directions given by Naperville Police officers and West Suburban Irish volunteers at the staging area.

A map of the staging area can be found by clicking here.

The Parade route, and information on handicap parking and designated viewing area, are found here.

REMINDER: the Parade Route goes under a bridge. Maximum height for any float or truck is Twelve Feet (12').

REMINDERS: the Parade is a family event, and takes place on public property. Please conduct yourselves appropriately. Please no alcohol before or during the Parade. Please do not throw candy or other objects. You may hand out candy, literature, or other objects to persons along the Parade route.

REMINDER: Please do your part to keep the Parade moving along! Be on time to start, and keep up with the group ahead of you. During the Parade, and at the end of the Parade route, please do not stop and hold up those behind you.

Parade Registration Notes:

Parade Sponsors are provided priority placement in the Parade. Priority spaces are very limited. No registered entry that is not a Sponsor may march with a Sponsor.

Every business and political candidate must submit a separate form and pay a separate fee to march in the Parade.

Candidates may request to march together with other registered candidates. No candidate may carry signage or otherwise promote his or her candidacy in the Parade unless he or she has registered as a participant in the Parade.

When registering, you will need to provide a description of your Parade Entry for the parade announcers to read as you pass by the reviewing stand. (120 words or less)

2013 Grand Marshal

There is no one more fitting to be the honorary Grand Marshal of the 20th Anniversary St. Patrick's Day Parade than the West Suburban Irish's own Kevin Dolan, the founder of the first parade in 1993.

Kevin has served as the President and as a director of the West Suburban Irish, has chaired the parade committee on multiple occasions, and continues to serve as a Parade announcer.

Kevin is an enthusiastic promoter of the Parade, the West Suburban Irish, and all things Irish!

Kevin came to Naperville and saw that something was missing - an Irish Parade.

He got it all started and has helped to keep is going for 20 years!

In the photo above, Kevin leads the 2013 Parade.

(Photo courtesy Postively Naperville.)

Thank you, Kevin, and Congratulations!

PARADE QUEEN & COURT

Congrats to Mary Kate Zimmerman, the 2013 West Suburban Irish Parade Queen!

Mary Kate (second from left) is a honor student at Benet Academy, where she is part of the state championship math team and the National Honor Society. She also runs cross country and track at Benet. She dances with McNulty Irish Dancers, and has performed at the Emerald Dinner and marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade many times. She will competing in the World Championship Irish Dance in Boston in March. Mary Kate plans to study Foreign Policy in college.
Mary Kate traces her Irish ancestors mainly to the Galway area.
(Photo by Positively Naperville.)

Our Queen is joined by attendants Nicolette Geron, Rebecca Marie Cravatta, and Victoria Krug.
Nicolette attends Naperville Central High School. She is also an Irish dancer, plays in the school band, golfs and plays soccer.
Rebecca attends Naperville North High School, where she plays varsity Lacrosse and is a member of the business club and the National Honor Society.
Victoria attends Hinsdale Central High School. She volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and her parish food bank, as well as St. Baldrick's events.

The West Suburban Irish Parade Queen is chosen based on her Irish ancestry, and her high school and community involvement.

2013 Parade Route and Traffic Control Plan

CLICK HERE for the Parade Route, Traffic and Parking Restrictions, and Accessibility Plan.

2013 PARADE SPONSORS:

Argus Brewery