Watch the waters turn green, enjoy themed cocktails and Irish cuisine, hear live bagpipe music, and wave at the thousands of spectators lining the river’s banks. St. Patrick’s Day Clover Cruise from Chicago’s First Lady; St. Patrick’s Day Cruise from Wendella Cruises; Architecture River Cruise from Shoreline Sightseeing The Chicago River still turns green today! Every year, the river is dyed a few hours before the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade, which will take place on Saturday, March 16 this year, just one The Chicago River is glowing a bright emerald green Saturday as the city kicks off its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Thousands of cheering onlookers clustered along downtown bridges as members of Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union Local 130 began dumping containers of dye into the river from motorboats Saturday morning. Since then, dyeing the Chicago River green on St. Patrick's Day has become an annual event. Importantly, Chicago plumbers stopped using fluorescein in 1966, switching to a vegetable-based powder. Spectators watch in awe as the Chicago River turns green ahead of St. Patrick’s Day. According to Reuters, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 pours 40 pounds of dye into a quarter Paddle along the Chicago River with Urban Kayaks and enjoy food and drink on the day the river turns green. Tickets are $75-$100 for a single kayak and $150-$175 for a tandem kayak. Learn more and buy tickets here . The green dye was first used to trace sewage leaks, as an attempt to clean up the waterway, the Deseret News previously reported. It was Mayor Richard J. Daley who later turned the practice into a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Plumbers use an orange powder to turn the river into a vibrant emerald green. As the city prepares for its St. Patrick's Day festivities, Chicago is set to continue its vibrant tradition of coloring the Chicago River in a brilliant shade of green on Saturday, March 15. The Chicago River still turns green today! Every year, the river is dyed a few hours before the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will take place on Saturday, March 15 this year, just two Editor's Note: A live view of the Chicago River on Monday, March 17 is streaming in the player above. The Chicago River getting dyed green is one of the city's most iconic St. Patrick's Day CHICAGO — Thousands flooded the streets of downtown on Saturday morning to watch the Chicago River turn emerald green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day 2025. The annual tradition has been Erin Hooley. The Chicago River is dyed green as part of annual St. Patrick's Day festivities Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Find out what dye is used to turn the Chicago River green for St. Patrick's Day, how long it stays green and how long this tradition has been going on. West Loop and Fulton Market. Bandit; Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Bandit on Two, the second floor of Bandit, on Saturday, March 15, 2025. From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., ticket holders can enjoy a private event featuring a standard open bar with mimosas and well cocktails, passed bar bites, and festive green décor and swag. Why do they dye the river green in Chicago? The tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green for St. Patrick’s Day started in 1962, thanks to a creative idea from then-Mayor Richard J. Daley. On March 15, 2025, the Chicago River glowed bright green as St. Patrick's Day celebrations kicked off. Thousands gathered along the Riverwalk and bridges to watch the dyeing tradition. As the world gears up to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, the Chicago River was for one more time seen glowing in vibrant green hues as the city opens up its celebrations. As per a report by the In Chicago, dyeing the river green is a cherished tradition that signals the start of St. Patrick's Day festivities. Starting in 1962 and continuing every year after, members of the Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 gather to dump gallons of green dye into the Chicago River, transforming it into a vibrant shade of emerald. St. Patrick's Day weekend celebrations are officially here, with an iconic Chicago tradition kicking off festivities Saturday morning as the Chicago River was dyed green. Beginning shortly after
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