ABC7 celebrates St. Patrick's Day with parade broadcast
Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. ABC7 Chicago celebrated this grand Chicago tradition with a 2-hour parade special on Saturday.
The 36th annual live broadcast of the St. Patrick's Day Parade aired on ABC7 from noon to 2 p.m. On-demand highlight videos of the event are available below.
ABC7 Eyewitness News' Janet Davies, Judy Hsu and Chicagoan and owner of O'Brien's Restaurants, Peter O'Brien were in the broadcast booth. Meteorologist Larry Mowry captured all the excitement and pageantry from the street. ABC7's parade coverage showcased perennial favorites including bagpipers, Irish step dancers, floats, marching bands and marching politicians that make this one of the most celebrated events in Chicago each year.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee recognized ABC 7 with a special award for the station's 2018 parade coverage.
Peter O'Brien is a lifelong resident of Chicago who is 3rd generation Irish. He and Mary, his wife of 40 years, lived and raised their four children in Old Town. O'Brien has marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade since 1966. He is the owner and operator of O'Briens Restaurants for the past 35 years. O'Brien has been a past president of the Irish Fellowship and has emceed the annual Queen's contest for the past several years.
Once again this year, ABC7 Chicago's float was a big attraction. Members of the ABC7 Eyewitness team including Tanja Babich, Ravi Baichwal, Terrell Brown, John Garcia, Dionne Miller, Mark Rivera, and Jim Rose were part of the St. Patrick's Day Parade tradition.
The 2019 St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal was Terrence J. Hancock, President, Teamsters Joint Council 25. The Joint Council represents more than 100,000 Teamster members across Illinois and Northwest Indiana.
Chicagoan Madeline Mitchell, who was crowned the 2019 St. Patrick's Day Parade Queen, was be front and center with her court of outstanding Irish beauties. She is a DePaul University graduate who coached the state championship-winning Speech Team at Hinsdale Central High School while she finished her master's degree.
Thousands of marchers and bands, and a few leprechauns were featured as the parade proceeded from Balbo Drive, north on Columbus Drive to Monroe Street. Always a must-see in the parade, the Shannon Rovers bagpipers brought a touch of Ireland to Chicago as they have for the past 93 years.
