St. Patrick's Day is always fun in Lake Villa

Fathers and sons with green hair, bagpipers in plaid kilts and youths with shamrock-painted faces stepped out Saturday in Lake Villa's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

St. Pat holds a special place in the hearts of Lake Villa residents. The village has hosted the parade for a dozen years and is the only municipality in Lake County to do so, said organizer Betty Burns.

"It's always a lot of fun," Burns said. "Everyone enjoys celebrating St. Patrick's Day, even when it's cold."

The brightly shining sun helped participants and spectators briefly forget that the temperature was about 39 degrees. Families, many with children bundled up and in strollers, lined the streets to listen to the bagpipes and see the floats. There were 54 entries, including the Glengael Pipes and Drums, scout troops and local businesses and organizations.

"This is the first time I've seen the parade," said Keith Radke, who was there to see his daughter Taylor, 9, march with Girl Scout Troop 2620. "I'm so proud of her."

Mike Lubash, 14, of Boy Scout Troop 323, participated in the parade to raise money for an Eagle Scout project inspired by the death of his second cousin, Army Sgt. Rickey Jones of Kokomo, Ind.

Lubash, a freshman at Lakes Community High School, has been designing and fundraising for a war memorial that will be built in Lehmann Park. Lubash is selling "Support Our Troops" magnets and brick pavers to raise money for the project.

"After he died, I was trying to think of a way to honor our troops," Lubash said. "I believe that Lake Villa needs a memorial."

Jones, 21, was among four soldiers killed Feb. 22, 2006, when a bomb damaged a military vehicle north of Baghdad.

The parade route began at Palombi Middle School and headed south along McKinley, west on Kevin Avenue, north on Kevin and west on Wesley Road. It continued north on Walden Avenue, east on Burnett Avenue, north on Sherwood Avenue, then west on Grand Avenue. The parade headed northeast on Cedar Avenue before ending at the Lake Villa Metra station.

Afterward, many headed to the Lake Villa VFW Hall for its annual corned beef and cabbage dinner featuring entertainment, refreshments, games and Irish music.