Above / Registration and sponsorship now open for Naperville Sunrise Rotary St Paddy’s Day 5K, back live and in person on Sat., March 12. (PN File Photo from 2015 by Bruce K. Dixon) As is tradition, the West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Parade will follow at 10AM, providing fun and frolic for spectators in downtown Naperville.
Update, March 18, 2023 / Rotary Sunrise member and photographer Bruce Dixon has submitted the link to the 2023 5K photos. Find photos here… photos.app.goo.gl/NR8HezaTGD2PmifH7.
Original Post, Jan. 12, 2022 / Registration is now underway for the 13th Annual Sunrise Rotary St. Paddy’s Day 5K to be held in person beginning at 8AM on Sat., March 12, 2022, in Downtown Naperville. Held in cooperation with the West Suburban Irish, the St. Paddy’s Day 5K is set to be held immediately prior to the annual WSI St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The race is one of the first certified 5K’s of the running season in the area, and often sells out.
Proceeds from the event will benefit youth and family mental health care and support initiatives of Family Shelter Services, Project HELP and NAMI DuPage.
St. Patrick’s Day themed costumes and hats are encouraged. Costume awards encourage participants to enter into the festive spirit of the event by donning their St. Patrick’s Day finery for the run.
Corporate Sponsor opportunities, registration and volunteer openings can be found at the website www.StPaddysDay5k.com.
Participants receive an annual St. Paddy’s Day 5K technical running shirt along with their race packet. Prizes are awarded to the top overall male and female runners and commemorative prizes to the top three male and female runners per age division.
Post-run refreshments will be offered in an open-air tent. Masks are encouraged when not eating or drinking. Race times will be posted online.
“After two years of virtual races, we are grateful that we can plan to bring back the live race safely outdoors this year,” notes Club President Ryan Siebert. “I think we’ve all learned how important traditions can be, and we’re committed to making this event a safe and fun activity for racers and volunteers alike.”
Siebert went on to explain that the St. Paddy’s Day 5K is the service club’s biggest fundraiser each year.
“The St. Paddy’s Day 5K is critical to our efforts to help youth and families, who have been especially challenged with mental health issues during the pandemic,” Siebert continued. “We hope to see everyone out enjoying the early spring weather and community spirit this event always delivers.”
For more information visit www.StPaddysDay5k.com.
West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Parade welcomes entries
For information about participating and registering in the 2022 WSI St. Patrick’s Parade that follows the St. Paddy’s Day 5K at 10AM, Sat., March 12, click here.
The Parade that dates back to 1993 is a family event to celebrate Irish heritage and culture in the heart of downtown Naperville. Also a fundraiser for scholarships, the Parade attracts more than 3,000 participants and five times that many spectators. This year’s Grand Marshal is Mark Goodwin, MD.
For more information about the West Suburban Irish and all its programs and activities, including almost-monthly Quiz Nights at Quigley’s Irish Pub on the first Tuesday of the month, visit www.wsirish.org.
Also, save the dates for the 2nd Annual Naperville Irish Fest, August 5-6, at Frontier Park.
