Updated story
An estimated 150,000 people on Sunday braved the off-and-on rainy weather for the South Side Irish Parade in Chicago.
After going on a two-year hiatus due to issues with raucous, drunken crowds, the parade returned last year with a new family-friendly vibe -- and only one misdemeanor arrest was reported last year, ABC Chicago reports.
The zero-tolerance take on drinking at the parade continued this year. Police and private security alike were out in force and the punishments were even stricter than last year. Adults caught publicly drinking within 800 feet of the parade route reportedly risked a punishment of fines between $500 and $1,000 or up to six months in jail, according to CBS Chicago.
The reduced crowds made it easier to snag a front-row vantage point from which to watch the parade's 95 entrants, DNAinfo Chicago reports.
And though the day started with rain, showers ceased just before the parade began, according to the Chicago Tribune, so revelers -- including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin -- were able to enjoy the festivities while also staying dry.
The parade was also incident-free, according to ABC.
The parade, which began in 1979, kicked off at noon at the intersection of 103rd Street and Western Avenue and continued south on Western to 115th Street. The parade was led by the families of fallen Chicago firefighters Walter Patmon Jr. and Cptn. Herbie Johnson, as well as police officer Michael Fisk among its grand marshals. An official pre-parade mass was held at Saint Cajetan Church at 9 a.m., according to Patch.
Photos of the 2012 parade below all by Ken Gilbertsen:
