ShamROCK and Roll This St. Patrick’s Day in the Chicago Southland

The Chicago Southland and its surrounding areas are home to some of the country’s largest Irish populations. It’s safe to say we know how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day here in the Chicago Southland! Celebrate the luck of the Irish with local parades, performances, food and more.

The 15th Annual Oak Forest Fleadh will kick off the Irish-themed festivities on March 2 with a 5K, a family parade and fun for all! Celebrate the “Fleadh Around Town” with limited edition swag, like embroidered hats and fleece jackets, available for purchase at the Oak Forest Chamber of Commerce or through 5K registration. Plus, the first 500 runners who cross the finish line will receive a finisher medal! After the fun, be sure to visit a local bar or restaurant, such as Jack Gibbons Gardens or the Carraig Irish Pub at Chicago Gaelic Park, for some tasty treats.

Head over to the Village of Orland Park for the St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K Run/Walk on March 2 at 9:00 AM. The race begins at Centennial Park and proceeds will benefit the St. Michael School advisory board. For more information or to sign up for the 5K, please visit the race’s registration page.

Enjoy some traditional Irish folk music with the Moraine Valley Concert Band’s performance of Celtic Song: Music from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales on March 3. This concert, part of the concert band’s 18th season, is a “musical travelogue celebrating the music and composers of Great Britain and Ireland.” The show is free, but tickets are required to attend, and can be reserved online from the Moraine Valley Community College Fine & Performing Arts Center’s ticketing website.

Chicago Gaelic Park continues the fun starting on March 8 with Ireland on Parade, a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. Leading up to the holiday, Chicago Gaelic Park features live music and entertainment that celebrates Ireland. Some of this year’s fun includes Irish dance performances and Irish music sessions. These performances are free! A schedule of performances can be found on Chicago Gaelic Park’s event webpage.

On March 15, head over to the Wintrust Sports Complex at Bedford Park for their St. Paddy’s Day celebration, “Irish You Were Here!” From 6:00 – 9:00 PM, the whole family can enjoy open gym activities, arcade games, laser tag, delicious food and drink specials.

Chuck’s Southern Comforts Cafe in Burbank will be serving their famous smoked corned beef dinners, along with Irish-inspired drink and beer specials all weekend long on March 16 and 17!

On St. Patrick’s Day, continue the celebration in the Village of Flossmoor with the town’s 17th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade steps off promptly at 2:00 PM from the Flossmoor Community Church (847 Hutchinson Road).

Keep the good times going in Flossmoor with a stop at the iconic Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery for St. Patrick’s Day at the Station! Food specials will be offered, including famous corned beef and cabbage, along with drink specials like green beer.

Stop by Arrowhead Ales Brewing Company in New Lenox to celebrate the triumphant return of the Shamrock’d Shake, a boozy Irish milkshake featuring vanilla ice cream, Tullamore Irish whiskey, crème de menthe, whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a chocolate mint cookie. Shamrock’d Shakes are now available!

Feeling the need for speed on St. Paddy’s Day? Stop by K1 Speed Mokena on March 17! Try your hand at the St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Race for a chance to win free prizes. There will be special races throughout the day with prizes up for grabs, such as t-shirts, free races and race packages. Plus, if you buy two races, you get two free with a “lucky” deal! Time slots are limited, so be sure to register ahead of time on the K1 Speed Mokena website.

Stay in touch with your Irish side every day of the year with unique gifts from Lotton Art Glass Gallery & Studios in Crete. Plenty of beautiful pieces with a touch o’ green are available, in addition to other stunning works of art featuring every color of the rainbow.

As always, there are several local spots perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day year-round. Check out J.J. Kelley’s in Lansing and The Carraig Irish Pub at Chicago Gaelic Park to find Irish-inspired eats every day of the year. 

How ever you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, you’re sure to find a pot of gold here in the Chicago Southland!

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