Naperville Irish parade, 5K celebrate spring

Two Irish traditions years in the making will take to the streets of downtown Naperville Saturday, March 10, offering an early start to St. Patrick's Day merrymaking.

Both started small and both have grown into large-scale celebrations as the city recognizes its Irish population and draws others into the fun.

The St. Paddy's Day 5K encourages a healthy jolt of morning exercise, followed by a post-race party that's grown into quite the feast since the event started in 2011.

The St. Patrick's Day Parade, hosted by West Suburban Irish, features nearly 100 entrants and 3,500 participants highlighting culture, business, politics, clubs, charities, schools, scouts, dancers and music. In its 25th year, the parade is a mainstay at the start of spring - whether it's 26 degrees and windy or 85 and sunny.

"It brings out a really good crowd," said Paul Santucci, a West Suburban Irish member and co-chairman of the parade. "It starts that whole fun week of celebrating spring and being Irish and green. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, so it's a shared welcoming to spring."

Organizers expect up to 3,000 runners and walkers to participate in the 5K, which will get going just as the early birds among an anticipated parade crowd of 10,000 begin to claim their spots along Mill Street, Jefferson Avenue and Main Street.

"It's a fun family event," co-chairman Terry O'Dowd said about the parade, which will be led by grand marshal and longtime West Suburban Irish member Chuck Corrigan. "You see the kids just smiling, they're grinning ear to ear."

A costume contest encouraging 5K participants to don leprechaun hats and creative green gear will get the spirit set for a day of good times, 5K chairman and Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise member Mark Schroeder said.

"Our goal with this race is to create something where families say, 'You know what, let's go run the race and we'll have some food and go watch the parade, and we can make a nice Saturday out of it,'" Schroeder said.

The race starts and ends at Jackson Avenue and Mill Street, near Centennial Beach. There, after running, walking, or run-walking 3.1 miles, participants can fill up with corned beef or peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches and pizza slices, then wash it all down with green beer, coffee, hot chocolate or a 5K chardonnay by a wine company called Grateful Grapes.

"We spend a lot of time and effort making sure that the post-race party is a really enjoyable time," Schroeder said.

By the time the race launched in 2011, the parade was a well-known tradition and its route was set. So all 5K organizers had to do was plot an out-and-back course along the same streets to garner easy approval for their event, which this year raises money for Naperville nonprofits 360 Youth Services and KidsMatter.

"The benefit is we don't have to close more roads than are already being closed," Schroeder said.

Once the race wraps up, parade units will step off from Naperville North High School and head south into the downtown.

West Suburban Irish's own float will carry the St. Patrick's Day Queen, Waubonsie Valley High School senior Gabrielle Santucci, and her court, including Glenbard South High School senior Bridget Baehl, Waubonsie Valley High School junior Carina Collins and York High School senior Holly Doherty. Several younger girls, known as Rosebuds, also will be in places of honor on the float.

Corrigan was named as grand marshal in the parade's 25th year to recognize the key role he has played in building up West Suburban Irish as a club and the parade as its showcase event, O'Dowd and Santucci said.

In the mid-1990s, Corrigan joined the club and got involved with planning the parade as founder Kevin Dolan worked to turn it from a four-block walk watched by few to a popular milelong procession.

"Chuck was great in keeping this going," Santucci said. "It would take 10 people to do what he does."

If you go

<b>St. Paddy's Day 5K </b>When: 8 a.m. Saturday, March 10

Where: Jackson and West streets near Centennial Beach, 500 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville

Cost: $45 for adults; $25 for children 14 and younger

Info: stpaddysday5k.org

<b>St. Patrick's Day Parade</b>When: 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10

Where: Starts at Naperville North High School, 899 Mill St.; heads south on Mill to Jefferson Avenue, east to Main Street, south to Water Street

Cost: Free

Info: wsirish.org/st-patricks-parade.html