Palatine joins Lake Villa, cancels St. Patrick's parade
After a rash of cancellations elsewhere, organizers of Palatine's 10th annual Paint the Town Green St. Patrick's Day festival announced Thursday evening that the festivities would not go forward.
A message posted on the village's Facebook page about 9 p.m. reads: "In light of the recent announcement by the Illinois Governor, and in consideration of public health and consultation with the Village, a decision has been made to postpone the Paint the Town Green Parade scheduled for Saturday, March 14. Thank you for your understanding and happy St. Patrick's Day."
The same message was posted on the event's website.
The parade was a go until then, with organizers on the event website urging residents feeling ill to "please consider your health and the health of others and stay at home."
The event's highlight was to be a parade that steps off at 11 a.m. from the corner of Wood and Oak streets in the village's downtown.
For most of Thursday, Lake Villa also intended to hold its annual St. Patrick's Day Parade as scheduled.
However, village leaders reversed course late in the day and called of the parade and related activities.
"Unfortunately, Lake Villa is canceling the Saint Patrick's Day Parade and corn beef and cabbage dinner at the Lake Villa VFW. The Saint Patrick's Day Parade is a wonderful event, but due to health concerns, it is our responsibility to ensure everyone's safety and cancel this event," Mayor James McDonald said in the announcement.
The Palatine parade doubles as a charitable event. In past years, marchers with shopping carts have gathered food, clothing and disposable paper products for JOURNEYS the Road Home, which provides shelter and services to homeless people in the Northwest suburbs.
Before the event was canceled, JOURNEYS officials issued a statement Thursday announcing they would not take part in the event this year.
"On advice of our medical partners, JOURNEYS has made the very difficult decision to not march in this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Palatine," the statement reads. "This is needed to minimize possible exposure of the COVID-19 virus to our staff as well as to our clients and volunteers. We are so grateful for being selected as the charity partner for the Paint the Town Green parade for many years and look forward to participating again in future years."
The festival also features an Irish market outside Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St. The market showcases 11 vendors selling everything from Irish soda bread to Irish trinkets from Lady Jo's Lids. Volunteers there will be accepting donations, as well.
"Everyone is a wee bit Irish, and this is the festival to celebrate it," said fest coordinator Liz Christie of event planning company ElizEvents. "It's the largest (St. Patrick's Day festival) in the area, featuring pipe bands and a leprechaun and princess for family fun entertainment."
It all began when Jim Dolezal of Durty Nellie's approached Christie with an idea: since there was no St. Patrick's Day parade in Palatine or neighboring communities, why not start one themselves? Durty Nellie's could sponsor the event and Christie could plan it.
Since 2011, the festival has grown from two people and 35 businesses to dozens of volunteers and more than 50 businesses participating.
"It's the first festival of the year and everyone comes out to shake their cabin fever," event coordinator Bill Pohlman said. "This is the only festival in Palatine where the entire community is involved. Everywhere you go in town people are out celebrating."
The Daily Herald Media Group is a media sponsor of the event.