Cheers and Irish tunes rang out across downtown Saturday as thousands of residents and tourists kicked off the festive St. Patrick’s Day weekend in their traditional Chicago way: watching the Chicago River turn from a murky gray to bright green.
By 8 a.m. Saturday morning, hundreds of spectators lined up along the river and bridges, waiting for boats to spray the dye through the channel on a windy but seasonably warm March day. Others took the opportunity to cruise down the river on a boat or peer through hotel windows, avoiding the excited crowds.
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An avid St. Patrick’s Day fan, Lisa Henry of North Center sees the river turn clover-leaf green every year since she moved to Chicago decades ago. Sitting on a pontoon about to launch from the Freedom Boat Club’s Streeterville Dock to wade down the river, Henry wore a sparkly headband lime green wig that would soon match the water below.
“It’s another wonderful reason why Chicago is one of the best cities in the world,” Henry said of the tradition.
This year, the celebration was even more special because it was her best friend, Jen Stull’s, first time watching the tradition in person. “Usually I would go to a bar,” Stull said with a laugh.
The dyeing was also a first for the James family, who traveled from Ormond Beach, Florida, for the annual parade. Mia James carried a life-size inflatable with her as she waited with her parents to catch a ride share. Her dad, Gary, decked out in a gold and green beaded tie for the day.
The river took roughly 45 minutes to settle into a completely green state. The Riverwalk, closed for the dyeing, will reopen Sunday.
After the spectacle, dense crowds began the trek to Grant Park to watch the Saturday Irish parade. The half-mile downtown parade, in its 69th year, steps off at 12:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Balbo Drive, heading north to Monroe Drive.