With a few flurries and a whole lot of excitement, the March 11, 2000 St. Patrick’s Day Parade was a success. This was one of the last years the parade was the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day and moved up a weekend to increase visibility and attract a wider audience.

In March 2000, the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce boasted over 70 entries, which included bands, floats, and the popular Randolph Street Depot. The Madison Street $3 million dollar facelift was completed and the village had just approved formulating a master plan for Madison Street.  

This image from 2000 shows the area of Desplaines and Madison in the background.

Jill Wagner