Aurora gets its Irish on despite Sunday's cold, snowy weather
Mary Ellen Bender of Aurora stood along Downer Place Sunday morning watching the snow fall minutes before the city's St. Patrick's Parade was about to begin, and said she wasn't flustered in the least.
'For me, I don't let snow or rain ruin anything. I don't. I've come to this several years and sometimes the weather is fine and sometimes it's not, but it's the excitement. It's the enthusiasm,' Bender said. 'We didn't get the luck of the Irish. I told people it was the leprechauns.'
The parade in Aurora grew to 30 participants this year from 20 a year ago, and kicked off at 11 a.m. at Water Street and Downer Place before ending at the Grand Army of the Republic Museum, 23 E. Downer Place, where an Irish flag-raising ceremony was held.
A press release from the city noted that the flag was raised in memory of Daniel D. Dolan, a longtime Aurora real estate developer and philanthropist.
The flag-raising event was set to include the presentation of Emerald Excellence Awards to members of Aurora's Irish community, as well as a performance by the McNulty Irish Dancers.
The chilly weather and steady, wet snow on Sunday held down the crowds this year, but those who did come like Billy Van Duzor and his daughter Nora, 8, vowed to make the best of things.
'Luck of the Irish today – I'm not really sure,' Van Duzor said with a laugh. 'Maybe it will turn out lucky but so far not so much. I wish it was yesterday. My wife is Irish and my kids are Irish and it's fun. We love St. Patrick's Day and Aurora always does a good job and it's a parade we'll never forget being in the snow. There's going to be some Irish dancing and it's just fun.'
Nora Van Duzor spoke about having to stand in the cold and snow and said 'I'm fine with it.'
'We're going to have some corned beef later,' she said.
Lisa Simpson of Montgomery was decked out in some Irish colors and said she 'heard there had been snow in years past.'
'That's what I've heard, it seems like it's always snowing on this day. Mostly likely, there's going to be less of a turnout,' she said. 'But it's the first parade this year in Aurora, the first flag-raising, I'm loving it.'
Alex MacDougall of Sugar Grove, his wife Tiffany and their children were likewise dressed for the occasion and said this was their second year at the parade.
'We pressed on. We came because, we have to. It's St. Patrick's Day,' MacDougall explained. 'We've got the corned beef and cabbage waiting for us when we get home – it's already going. For me, the holiday is fun. Everyone's Irish. It's just something different than Christmas and festive in a different way.'
Tiffany MacDougall was sporting a leprechaun hat she said belonged to her husband, noting that 'he's had it for years – since college at least.'
'Getting all decorated and doing the whole festive thing, I think every one likes this because everyone can partake in it,' she said of St. Patrick's festivities. 'It's something that just works for everyone.'
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