St. Patrick's Day gets a rainy celebration in Naperville

Gray and green was not the color scheme that organizers of Naperville's St. Patrick's Day Parade were hoping for Saturday, but those who attended said the rainy weather didn't ruin their fun.

"It's not even that bad out here," said Pamela Young, who stood Saturday morning with her three children at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Main Street, waiting for the parade to begin. "The kids love this kind of thing, so we never considered not going."

The 17th annual parade, organized by Naperville-based West Suburban Irish, sent roughly 90 units through downtown Naperville ­- a mix of politicians, businesses, civic organizations and youth groups.

Spectators held umbrellas and cups of hot chocolate as they watched the parade go by, but they also sported the usual green top hats and shamrock antennae.

"We like it because it has a nice family atmosphere," said Scott Murcer, who wore a Notre Dame baseball cap as he pushed his 18-month-old-son in a stroller. "We're meeting some friends and we kind of make a day out of it. It's fun."

Parade chairman Chuck Corrigan couldn't provide an attendance figure but said the drizzle and chilly temperatures clearly kept some people away. Still, he said, those who showed all had smiles on their faces.

"Even when the weather isn't the best, I think St. Patrick's Day still represents the beginning of spring for a lot of people," Corrigan said.

Elmhurst, St. Charles and Lake Villa were among the other suburbs that observed the March 17 holiday on Saturday with parades. In Chicago, the Chicago River was dyed green and the traditional parade was held downtown. Even that event had a suburban connection, as Wheaton native Lauren Corry was named to the city's Queen Court this year.