South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade announces grand marshal

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana has been chosen as the grand marshal for next month’s 2024 South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The grand marshal was announced Wednesday against a backdrop of live bagpipe music at the Smith Village Community Room. The Smith Village retirement community is the parade’s honoree.

The 46th annual parade begins at noon on March 17 at 103rd Street and Western Avenue. The parade will make its way through the Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods, ending at 115th Street and Western.

But don’t expect to see a green-clad Ronald McDonald at the front, leading all the marching bands down Western.

The charity’s float will serve as grand marshal, a spokeswoman said.

AP Photos

It’s possible the famous clown will be one of the marchers accompanying the float, but whether he trades his famous red-and-yellow clown garb for green leprechaun attire is up in the air.

“Something tells me he’ll wear red, but he might have a green hat,” the spokeswoman said.

The first Ronald McDonald House in Chicago opened in 1977. The organization now operates six Ronald McDonald Houses and four Ronald McDonald Family Rooms across the area.

The organization has helped more than 150,000 families whose children were undergoing treatment at nearby facilities. It also operates the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program, which provides vaccinations, food, medical treatment and more to children in underserved areas.

“We are inspired to have them lead our annual march down Western Avenue, sharing the needs of so many families they serve,” parade committee chair Marianne Rowan Leslie said in a news release.

In honor of the parade, Ronald McDonald House Charities is selling “Get Shamrock’d” yard sign kits for $125.

Farther north, the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade will step off at 12:15 p.m. March 16, from Columbus Drive and Balbo Street. That parade is sponsored by Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 UA. The grand marshal is Peter O’Brien Sr., president and CEO of Mado Management.