If the bagpipe-blowing men in kilts didn’t give it away at the start of the night, the rest of the evening’s bombastic green-themed festivities surely were enough to let the Region know that the Crown Point St. Patricks’ Day Festival and Parade was underway. As dusk drew closer, hundreds of Northwest Indiana residents dressed in St. Patty’s garb and flocking to Crown Point’s downtown square,
Food vendors of all kinds lined West Joliet street, where families moseyed their way through booths of elephant ears and cotton candy as they found themselves a spot for the entire state of Indiana’s only after-dark St. Patrick’s Day parade.
“The parade is really the culmination of an entire afternoon of celebration,” said Diana Bosse, the Special Events Administrator for the City of Crown Point. “The afternoon started with the corn beef and cabbage dinner at the fire station, and then all day families have been able to enjoy food and music and just have a great time in the hours before dusk.”
Yet, once the sun began to disappear behind the courthouse, the crowds of festival-goers quickly began to line themselves up along the square, all in an effort to find the best seat to watch the parade pass by.
“We just love coming, we’ve come out to this parade every year for the last… well it’s been a long time,” joked Ron Meidinger, who donned a green top hat to compliment his wife's oversized green sunglasses.
"I’m a Veteran myself, and a lot of us in the area like to come out to these Crown Point events even though we ourselves are from Griffith,” said Ron Meidinger. “We just love the people and the sense of community, and really we need more of this.”
“Yes, we do need more of events like this,” agreed his spouse, Teri Meidinger. “Today everyone is here to be happy and friendly, and that’s what we need, more happiness and more fun.”
The Meidinger’s testimony on the lighthearted mood surrounding the event was echoed by the festive crowd that gathered downtown. As the evening turned to night, kids and adults alike watched in awe as an array of green-lit floats, representing over thirty local businesses and organizations, rolled by. From the McCormack Fay Academy of Irish Dance, to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, to the Pipes and Drums of the Lake County Sheriff's Department, and much more- each float had its own unique flare.
All the while, candy of all sorts was thrown from the streets and into the outstretched hands of eager and excited children.
We just really love the atmosphere here, and it’s great to be around so many friendly faces,” said Sara Gaines, who was attending the parade with her daughter, Carson. When Gaines asked her child what her favorite part of the night was so far, there wasn’t a second thought from the youngster.
“The firetrucks,” she said.
Yet, though the visual spectacle of the evening’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities were what most of the families took away from the chilly, March night- what Crown Point Mayor David Uran saw was something a little different. For him, even though the city put on a wonderful show for all who came out to enjoy their St. Patty’s Day, what he took away was the amazing show of community and family that was on display.
“It’s great to see such a huge turnout on a chilly night like this, but that just shows why we’re the best place to be in Indiana,” said Mayor Uran. “You know, tonight is kind of like the night that everyone comes out of hibernation and gets ready for spring as one community, one family, and what an amazing family Crown Point is.”