The 30th year of the St. Patrick’s Day parade down Madison Street in Forest Park was a festive affair yet again, supplying candy and cheer to hundreds of locals.
The Forest Park Review was near the start of a lineup of about 70 participants that started sauntering at Madison and Van Buren, parading east to Elgin.
It was my third year participating in the St. Patrick’s Day parade and it never gets less overwhelming to me! To be clear, that doesn’t mean it’s not fun, just a rush of adrenaline and stimuli, of constant people yelling and waving at you for candy.
As in years past, the Review always runs out of Nerds Gummy Clusters by the time we get to Thomas Avenue or so. I gave out dozens of Forest Park Review stickers after that and was surprised by the enthusiasm for them from kids and adults alike. But when those too ran out, the children were clearly disappointed by my cards with QR codes to sign up for our newsletter, so I switched to tried-and-true smiling and waving.
Proviso East High School Marching Pirates band at the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch’s float at the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council float at the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
A leprechaun distributes beads at the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
A Forest Park Public Works worker gives out candy at the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
Forest Park fire engine leads fire trucks from suburban departments at the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
Mayor Rory Hoskins and his wife Monique lead the Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor 
Santa makes a St. Patrick’s Day appearance in the staging area for the Forest Park parade on March 7, 2026 | Todd Bannor
If you and your youngins attended the parade on Saturday, my formal apologies if they didn’t get any treats from the Review! If I had it my way, every Forest Parker would have an abundant supply of Nerds Gummy Clusters for the rest of their days!
However, more than several disappointed children, what’s stuck with me from this year’s parade was how much more of a community I feel in Forest Park every year I walk down Madison covered in green. Part of it is I’m better friends with my coworkers and know more parade walkers than ever before. But most of it is the number of people who call from the sidewalk that they love the Review and how important our work is. That’s what makes the rush all worth it.
Happy early St. Patrick’s Day, Forest Park!