Plainfield Hometown Irish Parade Will Be Largest In Event History

PLAINFIELD, IL — It's going to be a busy weekend as Plainfield celebrates St. Patrick's Day with the annual Hometown Irish Parade and Paddy Day Mile Run on Sunday.

Downtown Plainfield is going to be decked in green as residents and visitors flock to view the parade — the largest "we've ever had, so it's going to be awesome," said Roni Thevenot, the administrator of the Village Preservation Association, which organizes the event.

"We're hovering around 80 entries," she said. In 2024, the parade featured about 65 entries.

Thevenot told Patch that the parade, which steps off at 1 p.m. from Plainfield Central High School, will feature "the same tried and true acts we've had in the past." That means the return of a unicyclist, a juggler, a balloon artist, free face painting, various dance and band performances and a BMX show.

In its second year, the bike rodeo will also return, giving children the opportunity to decorate their bikes and ride in the parade. There is no cutoff time for kids interested in participating.

"That was how [the Hometown Irish Parade] first started, with a bike parade," Thevenot said.

Historian Michael Lambert, a lifelong Plainfield resident who operates Arris Architectural and Preservation Consulting, will lead the parade as grand marshal, and Addison Zilvitis, an eighth grader at Trinity Christian School who has been described as "the epitome of kindness," will serve as parade princess.

The Weather Channel forecast shows a high of 45 degrees Sunday with mostly cloudy skies that will give way to partly cloudy later in the day. The channel forecasts a 14 percent chance of rain.

The procession will start on Commercial Street and traverse, Illinois, Lockport and James streets.

Before the parade floats through downtown Plainfield, runners will race in the annual Paddy Day Mile Run. It's set to commence at 12:30 p.m. on Lockport Street. Runners will have 20 minutes to complete the one-mile course.