Get Your Green On: It's Almost Time for Elmhurst's 17th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade!

Spring Road will be spring green from Wilson to the Canadian National Railroad tracks this Saturday, March 9. With tens of thousands of revelers expected to flock to town, the Elmhurst parade is now ranked as the second-largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the Chicago area, according to parade organizers.

The parade will feature floats, the York High School Marching Band, Medinah clowns and cars, Benny the Bull and Tommy Hawk, Chicago Highlanders, Irish dancers, the Elmhurst Armpit Orchestra and so much more.

Just look at this parade lineup!

Elmhurst Unit District 205 School Board will be the Grand Marshals for this year's parade.

The parade steps off at McKinley and Spring at noon, but be sure to get there early to get a spot along the parade route and enjoy some live music, at Ahlgrim Funeral Home (Vallette and Spring), at the Prairie Path and Spring Road, and at McKinley and Spring. And Silverado Grill, one of the most popular spots to be both before and after the parade, will offer its usual live music. Forget Hannah will perform beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Spring Road merchants will keep the party going long after the parade is over, so plan to stay late. And, here's something new this year: Free transportation from bar to bar, and from bar to the Metra station will be offered by Miller Lite from 2 to 5 p.m.

The free shuttle will make stops at:

• Silverado Grill
• Fitz's Pub
• Metra Station
• Fitz's Spare Keys
• Riley's Gathering Place
• Doc Ryan's

Miller Lite Free Rides is a joint effort among transit systems, community organizations, law enforcement agencies, civic organizations and others to help keep streets safe and prevent drunk driving. Information about Free Rides at other Chicago area events can be found here.

All we need now is a nice day. How does 45 degrees sound? The National Weather Service says it will be cloudy, and there is a slight chance of rain, but it probably won't start until after the parade. Here's the forecast.

For anything else about the Elmhurst St. Patrick's Day Parade, check out the parade website.

See you there!

Related:

Let Patch save you time. Get more local stories like these delivered right to your inbox or smartphone with our free newsletter. Fast signup here. For a different take, like us on Facebook.