Skies stay sunny for annual Lilac Parade

Lombard's annual Lilac Parade isn't just for little children waving to firefighters, parents videotaping their kids in the marching band or longtime residents lounging on lawn chairs.

The parade, which rolled down Main Street Sunday, attracted packs of scruffy teen boys on skateboards, bikes and inline skates and clusters of teen girls jumping on the sidelines.

The draw, they say, is their friends.

"It's a place where everyone can just get together," said 14-year-old Jessalyn Brzezinski, a student at Jackson Middle School in Villa Park.

Her classmate India Rivera, 14, also joked that the parade keeps them out of trouble "because shenanigans are bad."

Brzezinski, Rivera and their classmates Dylan Sparrow and Amber Blzek, both 13, and Sadie Baker, 12, shouted out to passing floats, danced on the sidelines, and begged members of the Tri-Town YMCA draw war paint on their faces with markers.

With intermittent clouds but no rain, Sunday's parade featured more than 100 units, including the Trail Riders of DuPage on horseback, Tunes of Glory from Warrenville playing bagpipes, The Jesse White Tumblers, a clown band playing "Sweet Home Chicago" and, of course, this year's Lilac Queen, Katie Scully.

The annual event typically attracts more than 10,000 people and gave them almost two hours of a show Sunday.

Christine Weise of Addison, who has attended the Lilac Parade for decades, scored curbside seats with her daughter Sherry Wise of Oswego and her grandchildren.

Both women wanted to sit up close and see Sherry's daughter, 14-year-old Kayla Lettenberger, march in her Glenbard East High School cheerleading uniform.

Both women said the Lombard parade is a family tradition, and they are glad to see it continue into a new generation.

"My dad loves parades and he always took us to every one he could find," said Sherry Weise.