Road Closures Set for Plainfield Homecoming Parade

There's still time — three days, to be exact — to enter your float in the 2013 Plainfield Community Homecoming Parade, set to wind its way through downtown on Saturday, Oct. 5.

This year's theme is "Parade a State," with entries celebrating U.S. states and territories.

The entry fee of $50 applies to for-profit and political parade floats; the parade application is available here, and the deadline is Sept. 26. No registration will be accepted after the deadline.


Plainfield police are urging anyone who is not participating or viewing the parade to avoid the downtown area and parts of Routes 30 and 126 between 7:30 a.m. and noon on the day of the parade, Oct. 5, due to heavier-than-normal traffic and road closures.

Road closure and parade staging info

• Starting at 6 a.m. Oct. 5, police will begin closing Ottawa Street (west of the DuPage River) between Van Dyke Road the Ira Jones Middle School. Ira Jones Middle School and Village Center Drive near the Village Hall will also become a controlled access for parade entries.    

• U.S. Route 126 (Lockport & Main Streets) at Wallin Drive, to Route 59
• Lockport Street from James Street to Route 59
• James Street from Lockport Street to Fort Beggs Drive
• Ottawa Street (east of DuPage River) from James Street to Illinois Street
• Fox River Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Des Plaines Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Illinois Street from Lockport Street to Commercial Street
• Commercial Street from Illinois Street to James Street
• Fort Beggs Drive from James Street to Pratt Lane
• All roads south of Lockport Street along the parade route east of Route 59 will be completely closed; this does include the area directly around Plainfield Central High School.

All downtown roads north of Lockport Street (Oak, Arnold, Penn, Des Plaines, Illinois) will be open to local traffic only by accessing traffic checkpoints. No traffic lanes on Route 59 will be closed, however motorists should be advised that traffic congestion and delays are expected. All roads are expected to re-open between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Parade staging and line-up is designated at the following locations:

• Band Drop-off (Buses) - Riverfront Park: The gravel area south of Lockport Street between the CN Railroad Tracks and the DuPage River.
• All Youth Football Clubs (PJC, Plainfield Saints, Pop Warner “Warriors,” Tri-City Wolverines, Ravens Youth and Plainfield Prowlers) - Staging will be in the field directly east of Ira Jones Middle School.  Participants should enter the school by accessing Wallin Drive (YMCA) off Route 126 (Lockport Street). Participants may be either dropped off on the east side of Ira Jones and walk to their designated position in the Parade line-up, or parents may park in the grass area south of Ira Jones and walk their child(ren) to their assigned spot in the line-up.
• Homecoming Court, Escort Vehicles, Designated VIPs - Staging in Dreyer Medical Center parking lot, next to Plainfield Village Hall, on Village Center Drive.
• All other parade entries - Enter Wallin Drive (YMCA) from Lockport Street (Route 126) and proceed to Ottawa Street at the intersection with Ira Jones Middle School. Participants may be either dropped off and proceed to their assigned location or the vehicle can be parked in the grass area south of Ira Jones and the participant can be walked to their designated location.

Parade route information

The parade will begin at Van Dyke Road and Lockport Street at 9 a.m.  

The parade will travel east on Lockport Street and go south on Illinois Street before heading west on Commercial Street and then south on James Street, where it will conclude at Fort Beggs Drive.  

At the conclusion of the parade, band/bus pick-up and float parking will be in the south side Fort Beggs High School parking lot.  Any walkers from the parade may be picked up either at the Community Park on Renwick Road or on the north side of the high school.  Youth Football participants will be directed to Renwick Community Park for pick-up.

Port-a-potties will be provided at/or near Ottawa Street at Ingersoll Drive, the Plainfield Village Hall, Ira Jones Middle School, Lockport Street near Des Plaines Street, Illinois and Ottawa Streets, and at Plainfield Central High School near the tennis courts/baseball fields.