Oak Forest gets tourism grant to promote Fleadh

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Oak Forest officials (from left) Chrissy Maher, Dave Newquist, Kim Malecky-Iles and Jim Garrett hold up a local tourism grant check for $3,259 to promote the 2012 Oak Forest Fleadh. | Supplied photo

Updated: March 13, 2012 8:02AM

Oak Forest recently received a $3,259 local tourism marketing grant from the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau to promote the Oak Forest Fleadh on March 10 along Cicero Avenue between 151st and 159th streets.

The event, which celebrates Irish culture and tradition, includes customer appreciation celebrations at local businesses from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., an open bike ride from 10 to 11 a.m., a 5K run at 8:30 a.m., a family parade at 11 a.m., and a pub and restaurant open house from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.

The grant will be used to create and place ads in local publications.

“We’re changing things up a little this year by reversing the direction of the parade,” said Oak Forest-Crestwood Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Kim Malecky-Iles. “The parade will kick off at 157th Street instead of 151st Street so that we can use the Gateway Development at 159th and Cicero Avenue as our staging area. By centralizing the 5K and parade staging areas, we’re hoping to make things more efficient for participants and organizers.”

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau distributes up to $46,000 annually to Southland municipalities and not-for-profit organizations to promote events designed to draw visitors into the Chicago Southland region for overnight stays.

“The local tourism grant program is a way for the bureau to extend its marketing reach,” said Jim Garrett, president and CEO of the Chicago Southland CVB. “The marketing efforts by our communities — in addition to marketing efforts by the bureau — help us better promote the many festivals and events and area attractions throughout the Southland to potential visitors.”

Information: www.oak-forest.org, oakforestfleadh@oak-forest.org or (708) 687-4600.