Every year on Saint Patrick’s Day, the American city of Chicago indulges in a tradition that’s become impossible to ignore! It colors its famous river a bright neon green, a reminder of its strong attachment to Irish history and culture! And for this 2024 edition, the event will take place on Saturday, March 16 at 10am… one day before the official start of the festivities! If you’d like to attend, we’ll tell you more about the event!
With each new St. Patrick’s Day, the whole of Chicago is plunged into boundless effervescence. Crowds flock to the town’s quays to watch the boats come and go, pouring out their green dye. Little by little, Chicago’s waters change from a natural, dark color to an unusual bright green!
This family-friendly event is in fact an opportunity for the town to recall its close ties with Ireland. Indeed, the city is home to a large Irish-American diaspora, still very attached to its culture. And even though Chicago is miles from Ireland, their passion for St. Patrick’s Day is still alive and well.
It will be 69 years this year, for example, that the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 dyed its river green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
A practice that allows you to color the river all the way to the sea… and whose coloring eventually fades after a few days.
But what products are used to achieve such a flashy color? For the city’s plumbers’ association, this remains a closely guarded secret… but one thing is certain: this dye, however pronounced, would be most environmentally friendly.
It would in no way alter the local ecosystem, and its effects would dissipate without after-effects.
There are several ways to observe the Chicago River’s greening: on site at the docks… or on TV.
For those lucky enough to be there, you should know that the show focuses mainly on Upper Wacker Drive, with the best views available between Columbus and Fairbanks.
Please note, however, that the lower level of the river promenade will be closed at this time. For safety reasons, no access is possible via the area’s public stairwells.
If you’d rather watch it on TV, NBC Chicago will be broadcasting a live feed of the river coloring from 10 to 11 am.
You can also follow him on the channel’s website.
Finally, the coloring of the Chicago River is just the beginning of the festivities. A grand official parade will be held at around 12:15pm on March 16. It will run along Columbus Drive, from Balbo to Monroe Street. Expect a huge turnout: for Chicago, this event attracts several thousand spectators, including adults and children, who come to rediscover the magic of Ireland!
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