Irish for a day in Lake Villa

The route is short but the attitude is what counts at the Lake Villa St. Patrick’s Day parade March 12.

“It’s an annual event and it’s the only one in Lake County,” said longtime organizer Betty Burns. “It’s one of those things. People are tired of the winter and this is the break that brings them into spring. Everybody’s Irish — or pretends to be. It’s a fun activity.”

Held the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day going on 15 years, the parade kicks off at noon at Palombi Middle School, 133 McKinley Ave. Units will begin lining up at 10:30 a.m.

It will feature about 50 units, including the Lakes Area Community Band dressed in top hats and bow ties and riding a flatbed truck.

Decorated tow trucks, Scout troops, local area pageant queens, a life-size leprechaun and St. Patrick himself will be on hand.

The route is less than a mile, beginning on Kevin Street and ending at the train station on Cedar Avenue.

Once again, the Lake Villa Township caboose will be used as a float to collect food and donations.

Last year, about $2,000 was raised for the food pantry and so much food was collected it had to be unloaded before the occupants inside the caboose could exit, according to Burns.

“That’s gotten to be the feature for the St. Patrick Day parade,” said Burns, who has been organizing the event for about the last 10 years.

The annual corn beef and cabbage dinner follows immediately after the parade at the Lake Villa VFW hall, 130 E. Grand Ave. Cost is $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and children under 12. A hot dog plate is $4.

For more information, call Burns at (847) 356-1076 or the village hall at (847) 356-6100.