Everyone's Irish for a day in East Dundee

'Twas a grand day to be Irish in East Dundee Saturday, as residents lined River Street for a frigid but festive St. Patrick's Day parade.

Sponsored by Rosie O'Hare's Pub and the village of East Dundee, the event marked the second year residents organized a separate parade from neighboring West Dundee.

Village President Dan O'Leary, clad in an Aran sweater, green kilt and white knee socks, led the procession down River Street to Barrington Avenue, ending on Water Street in front of Rosie O'Hare's.

A former bagpiper with the Shannon Rovers, O'Leary said he's played in more than 20 St. Patrick's Day parades.

"My lungs are taking a break this year," he said. "I'm just marching."

For about a half hour, spectators enjoyed more than 45 different entrants.

A lanky leprechaun was followed by, among others, the Midlothian Pipe Band, the Dundee-Crown High School dance team, the Kane County Car Club and a group of curly-haired step dancers from the Mayer School of Irish Dance.

The 35-degree temperatures didn't appear to deter many spectators, bundled in festive scarves and clutching cups of coffee.

"The weather's so unpredictable this time of year," O'Leary said. "I've marched when it's been 20 below, and when it's been 80 degrees.

Lynn Roder of West Dundee stood along the parade route with her 2-year-old twins, Christian and Gabrielle, wrapped in blankets and sitting in a wagon.

"We wouldn't miss this fun for anything," she said. "We're not Irish any day except for today."