Saint Patrick’s Day is an exciting holiday that is celebrated all around the world. Festivities include parades, musical performances, Irish dancing and so much more. One of my favorite traditions is the dyeing of the Chicago River!

Dyeing the Chicago River Green

Every year the Chicago River is dyed green in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. This tradition began in 1962. Throughout the 1960s Chicago city workers used green dye to help identify pipe leaks. In 1962, Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union members dumped 100 pounds of dye into the Chicago River in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. This dye stained the Chicago River green for an entire week!

In recent years, the river is dyed green with two boats, one boat dumps 40 pounds of dye and the other mixes the dye into the river. These boats contain family members of the individuals who originally dyed the river green. The dye is only visible for a few hours in the river.

The dyeing of the Chicago River has inspired other cities to dye their own river green.

Festivals

There are festivals around the world to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. One of the most notable is the four-day festival in Dublin, Ireland. This festival’s main attraction is the parade which includes a variety of artistic performances and concerts. Many restaurants are open during the parade serving classic Irish cuisine.

If you cannot travel to Dublin for its annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, don’t worry because there are parades taking place throughout Maryland. One parade is Baltimore’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade which passes through the inner harbor. This parade has been held for over 65 years! It includes musical performances and dances. The parade will be held on March 12^th this year!

Another parade held in Maryland is the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Attractions include Irish dancers, bagpipe players, fire trucks, and horses! This parade will be held on March 11th this year.

These are only a few of the numerous celebrations for Saint Patrick’s Day! Saint Patrick’s Day is less than two weeks away, so you should start planning your Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations!

Works Cited

CNN. “Why Chicago dyes its river green for St. Patrick’s Day.” 7 News Boston, 17 Mar. 2022, whdh.com/news/why-chicago-dyes-its-river-green-for-st-patricks-day/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2023.

Dermdoy, K.C. “17 Biggest and Best St. Patrick’s Day Events Around the World.” Trips to Discover, 28 Feb. 2023, www.tripstodiscover.com/18-of-the-worlds-biggest-and-best-st-patricks-day-events/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2023.

“PARADE DAY: SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2023.” St. Patrick Parade, irishparade.net/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2023.

“St. Patrick’s Day Parade.” Gaithersburg, www.gaithersburgmd.gov/recreation/special-events/st-patrick-s-day-parade. Accessed 6 Mar. 2023.