Despite the cold and snow, South Side Irish Parade organizers estimate 77,000 turn out

Chicago Tribune

16-03-2025

Chicago's Dave Madeck went bicycling Friday and was sweating on a day that hit 80 degrees in the Chicago area.
On Sunday, he, his fiancé Maria Comacho and her mother, Elvira, were bundled while staking their claim for a prime spot at the 45th South Side Irish Parade.
The snowy, wet and cold weather didn't stop Madeck and the Camachos from enjoying their first South Side Irish Parade as they sat near the popular 103rd Street and Western Avenue viewing area.
They woke up in the morning, looked out the window, but despite the undesirable weather they were determined.
'You know what we said?' Madeck said. 'We said if this was the Christmas parade, we would come.'
'Nothing was going to stop us,' Maria Camacho said.
Plenty of others were not stopped. Parade committee officials estimated a turnout of 77,000.
The parade featured more than 100 entries/floats, including one with, fittingly, Santa Claus. Irish dancers were bundled and many of the younger dancers were too cold to dance. Even Bozo the Clown needed to keep his orange hair and makeup dry by using an umbrella.
Madeck, 65, and Maria Comacho have been to Irish parades in the past and heard so much about the South Side event that he finally made an appearance. Elvira, 73, had never been to an Irish parade before.
'I love them, love them,' Maria said. 'I love the dancers. It's just beautiful.'
Elvira said she loves 'everything' about parades while Madeck is a fan of the bands and the floats.
The grand marshal this year was the Big Shoulders Fund and the community honoree was the Brother Rice Mount Sion Program, a special education inclusion program.
A special guest of the Mount Sion program was the Brother Rice boys basketball team, which finished second in the state at the Illinois High School Association Class 3A tournament the night before in Champaign.
'These last 24 hours have been long and emotional,' senior guard Marcos Gonzales said. 'I'll always have the moments and the memories with the guys, especially being here, I'll remember forever.'
After the Crusaders dropped a 55-52 double-overtime heartbreaker to DePaul Prep at the State Farm Center, they had a team dinner at Barraco's in Evergreen Park. Gonzales said he got home at 1:30 a.m. and woke up early to participate in his first Irish parade.
'I'm not the biggest fan of the snow or the cold, but everybody has to deal with it,' he said. 'But I have never been to the parade, even as a spectator, so this is great.'
Grace McKee was the parade's queen this year after spending many years as a drummer at the parade for the Stock Yard Kilty Band
While most people were having fun and sharing joyous memories, some also had a few sad thoughts about two people who recently died who had strong ties to the parade.
George Hendry, of Morgan Park, died at age 78 July 16. He was the co-founder of the event in 1979 with Pat Coakley.
Pat Coakley's son, Kevin, had fond memories of Hendry.
'He wasn't actively involved last year, but he watched the parade to watch his children and grandkids march,' Kevin Coakley said. 'He was the driving force for the parade. It was his idea. He and my dad put it together and I don't think they ever thought it was going to be as big as it would get.'
The legend is that Hendry and Coakley marched with a group of neighborhood kids known as the Wee Folks of Washtnaw and Talman. The little march included a decorated baby buggy. From there, it grew to an event that draws tens of thousands per year.
'I was 7 when I marched in the first parade,' Kevin said. 'Back then I was thinking 'where is the hot chocolate and where are the Twinkies?''
In February, 88-year-old George Nedved Jr. died. He was a beloved longtime parade treasurer and volunteer and was a reviewing stand announcer with his brother, Kevin.