South Side Irish Parade Continues In Family-Friendly Mode
(CBS) – The revived South Side Irish Parade will keep its emphasis on family-friendly fun this weekend, with no tolerance for drinking in public, officials promise.
Excessive drinking and unruly behavior led organizers to cancel the parade in 2009. Reinstated in 2012, parade committee members say, things have been different.
"It has been a great community event," says parade committee member Beverly Lynch.
Lynch, owner of Running Excels, is the race director for the 3rd Annual Emerald Isle Mile, which kicks off Sunday's parade. The run raises money for charity, giving the parade a different focus.
"A lot of people put a lot of time into it, making sure it's zero tolerance, that no alcohol is allowed on no streets. It has really brought the community back together again," Lynch says.
Lynch says the parade has also hired security to monitor the parade route.
Bar owners like Neil Byers of Horse Thief Hollow, are doing their part, too.
"We want to be open for the parade and let people come on and enjoy everything, but we're not interested in over-consumption or anything getting out of control," he says.
For more information about the parade, click here.
