Palatine making Irish festival an annual event
Palatine's first Paint the Town Green event earlier this year was so successful, organizers have decided Irish eyes should smile on the village annually.
Officials this week approved a request by Durty Nellie's and ElizEvents Inc. to once again hold a St. Patrick's Day parade in conjunction with the family friendly festival.
It will kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 17, 2012, near 200 E. Wood St. and continue west until Brockway Street.
Village staff recommended the shortened route compared to this year's parade, when spectator attendance was low and congestion near staging and dispersing areas was high due to more than 500 participants and 39 entries.
“We want to build up the parade before closing all those streets (again),” Liz Noe said.
To further limit the neighborhood impact, the nearby Palatine Park District will limit its programming that day and organizers have asked Sanborn Elementary School and St. Paul United Church of Christ to allow staging on their property.
After the parade, the crowd can take advantage of an Irish Market, plenty of food vendors and Irish entertainers.