La Grange Pet Parade steps off Saturday morning

The La Grange Pet Parade, a tradition for more than seven decades, kicks off summer going through downtown La Grange and the west end of the village. This year’s parade will be held at 9 a.m. June 1.

“The pet parade is always an exciting time of year that everyone - both young and old - looks forward to as the unofficial start to summer here in La Grange,” said Pet Parade Charities President Lindsey Paulus. “With the return of our popular costume contest to raffle opportunities and several exciting grand marshals, the parade is blending both new and old traditions.”

The Lyons Township High School advisory committee will oversee the costume contest that will remind area residents about the original premise of the Pet Parade – dressing up and walking with your pet down the main street of La Grange. The costume contest will have three categories of costume contests: individual youth, individual adult and group/family.

Dogs, cats, goldfish, ferrets, horses, ponies, marching bands are all annual spectator favorites as contestants compete for many top prizes at the end of the parade where awards are given at Lyons Township High School North campus parking lot.

Nazareth Academy head football coach Tim Racki will be honored along with the 2023 Class 5A Nazareth Academy football team. Other honorary grand marshals will include Nazareth girls basketball coach coach Ed Stritzel and the Class 4A runner-up team, Minnie Carr Service Award winner Bessie Boyd, Vial House (location of the La Grange Area Historical Society) celebrating 150 years, and junior grand marshal Josie Weckman, who won the annual coloring contest

The La Grange Pet Parade planning committee expects 115 entries in the parade this year. The parade will be live streamed on Lyons Township High School’s YouTube Channel, LT-TVOnline

The La Grange Pet Parade began in 1947 by the La Grange Chamber of Commerce, whose president was Ed Breen of Breen’s Cleaners. Breen intending to bring the community together around the idea of a pet and child costume contest parading down the main street of the village. The parade grew to include entries from local schools, businesses and non-profit groups, but was still always planned by local business people.

The parade walks through downtown La Grange and is a route of approximately 1.5 miles. Along the parade route, there are three street announcing stations.

For more information on the La Grange Pet Parade, please visit: www.lagrangepetparade.org.