The Oak Forest Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Oak Forest, will host the 1st Annual Oak Forest Fleadh (pronounced "flah") on Saturday, March 13 on Cicero Avenue between 151st Street and 159th Street. The Fleadh – Gaelic for "festival" – will include a 5K race, open bike ride, family parade, customer appreciation celebrations, and the 2nd annual pub and restaurant open house.  Please check this site often as new information and links will be added on a regular basis leading up to the event.

Family Parade
The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. from 151st Street and travel along Cicero Avenue to 157th Street. Check out the parade lineup.  Download the parade access map and road closures map now. 

Customer Appreciation Celebrations
Participating businesses are inviting residents and customers to park their cars, watch the parade, and enjoy refreshments and entertainment from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Open Bike Ride - Check out the flier
Cicero Avenue from 151st Street to 159th Street will be open to bike enthusiasts of all ages between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The Active Transportation Alliance — Chicagoland's voice for better biking, walking and transit — will be at the event to promote biking through handouts, giveaways and activities.

Kids' Zone
The Oak Forest Youth Commission will host a Kids' Zone in the Waverly commuter parking lot on Cicero Avenue, northeast of the train station.  The area will include kids' games, inflatables, face painting, a storyteller, and more. 

Additional contests, races, etc.
At 10 a.m., Oak Forest Bowl, Blarney Stone Pub and Marcotte's will hold an adult tricycle relay race down Cicero Avenue from152nd Street to 156th Street.  Click here for more details or stop in one of the sponsoring businesses.   After the parade, Blarney Stone Pub is hosting a Best of the Southside Irish Coffee contest and a Best of the Southside Irish Soda Bread contest.   

Fleadh 5K - View the course
National City is sponsoring a 5K race in Midlothian Meadows (northeast corner of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue) at 9 a.m. Register online at https://www.signmeup.com/68268 or mail in the registration form.  The first 200 runners to sign up are guaranteed a race T-shirt.  Landgrebe Chiropractic will provide pre-race stretching and post-race mini-massages for participants.  If you are not sure if you are registered for the race, request a confirmation e-mail now.   

Fleadh 5K Parking
Free parking is available in the Arbor Commuter Lot at the southwest corner of 159th Street and Oak Avenue -- directly across from National City.  Access to the lot is from Oak Avenue.  Spectators can park in the Arbor lot or in the Midlothian Meadows lot. Access to the Midlothian Meadows lot is at 152nd and Pulaski Road – across from Bremen High School.

2nd Annual Pub and Restaurant Open House
A free shuttle bus will take participants to local pubs and restaurants offering food and drink specials and free entertainment from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. The shuttle will stop at the Metra train station and the Best Western Oak Forest Hotel, which is offering special rates for open house participants.  Download the shuttle bus schedule.

Participating locations

Oak Forest Bowl - 15240 S. Cicero 
Blarney Stone Pub - 15400 S. Cicero
Marcotte's - 15501 S. Cicero
Mrs. O'Briens Pub - 15548 S. Cicero
Beggars Pizza - 15600 S. Cicero
Gaelic Park - 6119 W. 147th Street
Oliver's Bar & Grill -6150 W. 159th Street
Cindy's Pub - 5230 159th Street
Tap's Pub - 15427 Cicero Avenue
Villa Rivera Restaurant - 5233 W. 159th Street

Visit all of the open house locations for your chance to win a 42" flat screen TV!  Stop into any participating business for details.

Hotel Accommodations
The Best Western Oak Forest Hotel is offering a special rate of $69.99 + tax for Oak Forest Fleadh participants.  Book now!  

Parking
Free parking is available in the Arbor Commuter Lot at the southwest corner of 159th Street and Oak Avenue.  Access to the lot is from Oak Avenue.  The free open house shuttle bus, from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., will be making stops at the Metra train station.  Download the parade access map now.

Street closures and traffic control
Cicero Avenue, from 151st Street to 159th Street, will be closed on Saturday, March 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The city's Emergency Management Agency has a plan in place to redirect non-local traffic and allow local traffic to get through the adjacent neighborhoods.  Download the parade access map now.

Please drink responsibly
The Oak Forest Fleadh is a family-friendly event.  Alcohol is only permitted inside designated areas such as beer tents, beer gardens, pubs, and restaurants.  The city's public intoxication and open containers ordinances (135.00) will be strictly enforced.  Event organizers did not apply for or receive a special permit to allow open containers. 

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