St. Patrick’s Day is not a holiday everyone celebrates, but one place that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day like Christmas is Chicago. Chicago is a hub for St. Patrick’s Day festivities and includes multiple attractions including river dying, a parade, riverboats, and countless bars and restaurants filled to the brim with Irish specialties. If you are looking to have an eventful and exciting St. Patrick’s Day, Chicago is the place to be.
One of the most anticipated events during St. Patrick’s Day is the river dying. This odd tradition started in 1962, where on the day before St. Patrick’s Day, boats spread around green dye for everyone to enjoy. This festivity starts around 10 am, and the best spots to watch are along the river between State Street and Columbus Street; another wonderful place to watch would be along the bridges going across the river. Instead of watching the river turn green on land, some people decide to watch the river dying from the water. Chicago offers multiple river cruises that float along the water to watch the Chicago River change color for the short amount of time that it is green and spectate all the celebrating people gathering in the streets.
Another renowned festivity that takes place in Chicago is the St. Patrick’s Day parade. This Chicago parade is known as the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country. The parade first started in 1843, but did not become an official city event until the 1950s. This parade highlights multiple Irish traditions and includes The Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band, who have been leading the parade since 1956. The parade also includes large floats, an array of Irish step dancers, bands, and more.
If you are interested in trying new foods or Irish foods, multiple restaurants offer Irish specialties in honor of the famous holiday. Some of the best Irish restaurants in Chicago are The Atlantic Bar & Grill, Lady Gregory’s Irish Bar & Restaurant, and Kerryman Irish Bar & Restaurant. If you are interested in some corn beef sandwiches and green river soda, these are the places to go.
Many people hold this day close in their hearts and look forward yearly to attending the celebration. Historical Chicago teacher Jerry Powers said, “The dyeing of the Chicago River Kelly Green is one of the most iconic images of the day. Also, hearing the bagpipes played by the Chicago Rovers in the parade is very appealing to many people and viewed as an essential sound of the holiday.” If you are looking for a place to travel to in the next couple of days, I recommend taking a day trip downtown and enjoying the St. Patrick’s Day festivities with your friends and families.
