ST. LOUIS – Excitement is in the air in historic Dogtown, along with the smell of the grill, with food for Sunday’s big festival already being prepped.

“I started cooking Saturday morning at 10 a.m., and it’s been going ever since,” Lou Barrale said.

Barrale has made the annual Dogtown parade his own party since he first moved in 20 years ago.

“It was condemned when we bought the house and we came down here to have a party at the house because, well, we could trash it,” he said. “We had so much fun; we’re like, ‘Wow, this is addictive. We’ve got to keep having parties here.’”

Festival organizers say they are not losing sight of safety in all the fun.

“We have a lot of people packed into a small area and we’ve always had good times, and everything’s always worked out. We want to keep it that way,” Grand Marshal Jim Mohan said.

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Mohan is one of the original Irish Festival founders and a member of the ancient order of Hibernians, whose heritage and tradition they want celebrated safely.

The public will see police officers in normal uniforms or other security that will have identification as parade marshals, typically with reflective vests, according to Mohan.

Attendees can also expect to see public safety inspectors like Sharron Thomas checking balconies.

“We approve a load,” she said. “We might say 20 people can be out on a deck. Well, if there’s 30—there’s a possibility that deck could fall.”

Barrale also hopes visitors remember that we all play a role in whether the experience is positive and safe.

“It is a family event. It’s in a neighborhood which… makes this a great parade, but remember, this is our neighborhood so show a little respect,” Barrale said.

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