Well I for one am not sad that we do not have the parade ... I have no problem with a festival similar to Irish fest at Gaelic Park but the parade was turning into a joke .. If the tradition which was turning into a drunkfest, well sayonara. That is the example it was setting ... PR fest is changing, I worked it back in the day when it was a battle royal, but now from what I hear, it is not that bad ... One thing to remember, the city did not stop the parade ... The Parade committee ended the parade ...
Let's analyze this.
We for one would love to have an Irish fest too. We basically had that. However, some committee cancelled it. Funny thing, can't find the members of the committee anywhere listed. Wonder who was on that committee.
About the drunkfest. Maybe it was turning into a drunkfest. Maybe it always was. Is it a shock that you put a large quantity of Irish people together that they may drink? Our festival was once a year, usually on a cold day and in the morning. It was a major financial draw to the community. It was attended by people from around the country and the world. How can something that was so well attended by so many good people be so bad?
Puerto Rican fest changing? Okay, inside of the park where it is held, maybe. One of our staff have recently worked the fest as well and they tell me there are still roving street gangs moving about through the fest threatening and attempting to start fights. If it was not for the 'overwhelming' police presence, the Puerto Rican fest would be the same as when you worked it.
Immediately step outside the park and you definitely have problems. When the day comes and they invent transporters that beam us directly to the event, we may go.
Lastly, the city did not stop the parade? Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. Let me ask you this, if the city didn't stop the parade, why did a city alderwoman for the 19th ward make this comment that was found in an ABC 7 news report.
"People are sad but they know it had to happen. It's grown to a point where it can't be held in a residential community like this," said Ald. Ginger Rugai, 19th Ward.
Why would an alderwoman be so quick to be on the side of the committee if she had nothing to do with it? We all know that you need the alderwoman on your side for permits and the like.
Ultimately, the point of the previous article still holds true. We already inundate other neighborhoods in Chicago with police and these festivals just draw more manpower away from the good, tax-paying neighborhoods like ours.
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Don't get me wrong ... back some years I liked the parade and when it was mostly neighborhood people it was fine ... But it turned into an event, that drew idiots from the Northside and the suburbs. Hell there were even buses coming from a few colleges. I was at my buddy's house close the parade route and three buses pulled up from bars on the northside ... everybody was shitfaced when they got there and immediately run into backyards and gangways of peoples homes to piss. One girl was observed to be taking a dump between two homes. This was not the spirit of the parade that was intended. Maybe a couple of years off and initiate some restrictions and maybe it will become an enjoyable event again. As for PR fest ... yes it has been some years since I worked it, I and just relied on the feedback from cops I know who have. The gangs do roam wild, unfortunately they are dominating the lakefront too, I hear. There is so much to enjoy in this city, its a shame when the fun things get ruined
do you get the feeling that gingers people are writing some of the comments?
Sorry, but I've worked in 022 for the last 14 years of my career and that parade has outlived its usefulness! I've seen people having sex in random backyards, teens puking at 10 a.m., guys shitting in the residents yards. It turned into a frickin' joke! I'm not sure it had to be eliminated, but it needed a total overhaul to become what it was meant to be. A family event!
The fact is that St Patrick was a missionary that brought Catholicism to Ireland and was elevated to a saint because of his work by the Pope hundreds of years ago. St Patrick's Day is actually a RELIGIOUS feast day. That has certainly been lost in what had become the South Side Irish parade, and to be fair most St. Patrick's Day celebrations. In essence it has become what Christmas is becoming now, a secular holiday where people refer to Christmas as "Happy Holidays" or the "winter solstice" in an attempt to remove the true meaning. I have to say i was pretty ashamed to be Irish Catholic the way that parade was getting out of hand, especially with the vandalism to neighborhood businesses (like the brick through the day care window on Western ave a few years ago). It was time for it to be scaled WAY back. Can you really be proud to be Irish with girls running around in shirts reading "F*ck me im Irish" while donning a stupid leprechaun hat with green marijuana leafs puking up cornbeef and cabbage behind Dingers?
I've worked the Humbolt Park P.R. fest the last 3 years and its consistently gotten better (due to gentrification) though a far cry from a "family event." While the SS Irish parade wasnt near as bad an ethnic parade as other ones we have in the city (bud billiken), it was also far from "family friendly" (fights, public intoxication/indecency) and if you are Irish Catholic you really had to cringe at what was on display alot of the time spectators and participants alike. The "Irish" sure didnt look much more civilized than some of the "savages" in the P.R. fest or Bud Billiken
To 11:55 P.M. You couldn't be more correct. However, the same goes for all the other fests/celebrations that have been mentioned. A large portion of the police presence are actually recruits who are told not to arrest anyone and who don't have anov books to write these drunks. Then you have the bosses who tell everyone not to make arrests or "There will be no need for arrests." with the implied message that if an officer arrests someone for commiting a crime then the officer is an asshole and over reacting. What do you expect but for word to travel about what was gotten away with and for said fest to be that much worse the next year and even worse the year after. Only adding to the problems.
Sorry Village Voice but you obviously do not live anywhere near the parade route. For the last 16 years I have been going to this parade as a mom with 3 kids while my husband had to work this crap. Between helping my parents out to watch out for their house,driveway, and property from the drunks and just ignorant idiots I had to explain why it was NOT ok for the poor ladd or lass to pee or shit on the tree across the street. I for one will not miss this. The Irish celebration at the Beverly Art Center was very nice and well done. I think for now that is a much more positive angle to take to celebrate the Irish Heritage in this community.
You are right, I do not live near the parade route ... The parade was one reason I chose to buy further west, among other reasons.
bud billiken is the biggest disgrace the city has to offer. about 7-8 yrs ago, they had over 450 lost children and were talking toddlers up to 5 yrs old. while mommy gets her drink-eat-smoke on while grinding up on slick willie's radiator hose. the police took care of there snot nose offspring. so much garbage u thought u were in a landfill. everyone drunk or high.
hmmm it seems the masonic brotherhood of the orange lodge in the north of ireland was right catholic irish are really PIGS and wallow in their own filth. NO SURRENDER
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