>>> THE CITIES OFFICIAL ST. PATRICK'S DAY RIVER DIE IS TOMORROW .

THE SOUTH SIDE ST. PATRICK'S DAY HAS BUT A DOZEN CHILDREN MARCHING .

ORGANIZERS SAY IT'S THE LARGEST COMMUNITY-BASED SCENE PATRICK'S DAY PARADE .

WE HAVE THE CHAIRPERSON OF THAT PARADE.

WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

THIS IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PARADE?

>> OUT OF THE ENTIRETY OF IRELAND.

>> I'M TOLD OF THE PEOPLE WHO STARTED IT HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD EVOLVE LIKE THIS COULD >> IT WASN'T THERE, RIGHT, AT THE BEGINNING.

IT WAS ONLY DOWN HALF OF WESTERN AVENUE AND THE OTHER LANE OF WESTERN AVENUE HAS COME A LONG WAY.

>> ATTENDANCE, PRE-COVID, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFO ON THAT?

>> YES, ABOUT 2000 PEOPLE.

>> SO THAT'S COME BACK, WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING THIS TIME AROUND?

>> IT CAN BE A LITTLE CHILLY .

>> AND HOW DOES IT COMPARE WITH THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN?

HOW IS TURNOUT?

>> WELL, THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT ANIMALS.

DOWNTOWN , IT'S MORE METROPOLITAN, MORE ALL OVER THE PLACE , WHERE IS WE ARE MORE COMMUNITY-BASED , WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE SUBURBS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.

>> AND IN 2009, YOUR VICTIMS OF YOUR OWN SUCCESS AND IT WAS CANCELED.

>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE HIRED SECURITY , WE HAVE MARSHALL, THE HEAD OF OUR SECURITY FORCE.

>> NOW THAT IT'S MORE COMMUNITY FOCUSED , WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT, GO SEE IT?

>> WE HAVE PROBABLY MORE THAN 1000 PARTICIPANTS , AND WE HAVE 23 BANDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THE PARADE, AS WELL.

>> IT'S BEEN GOING ON , NOW.

>> IT'S BECOME A DE FACTO FAMILY REUNION WHERE PEOPLE GET THEIR FAMILIES TO COME BACK AND VISIT AND I CAN HELP YOU BREAK OUT OF THOSE WINTER DOLDRUMS AND IS THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF SPRING ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

>> WHAT ABOUT LOGISTICS, AND THE PARKING?

FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN THERE BEFORE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG HASSLE FOR THOSE, MAYBE.

>> IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, YOU CAN PARK IN THEIR DRIVEWAY.

GET THERE EARLY AND THEY SHUT THE STREET ABOUT 9:00, 10:00 IN THE MORNING.

IT'S ALL SO MUCH FUN.

THERE IS A MASS , AND THEN YOU GO HOME, AND YOU HAVE BRUNCH BEFORE THE PARADE.

THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE EVERYBODY.

>> SO IF WE GIVE OUT YOUR