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Since 1962, a crew in Chicago takes to the river once a year, dumping in 40 pounds of an orange powder that, when it hits the water, turns bright green. It’s a St. Patrick’s Day tradition St. Patrick’s Day usually conjures images of partying, Catholicism, Irish nationalism and, perhaps most famously, the color green: green clothes, green shamrocks, green beer and green rivers. The earliest Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in 1601 in what is now St. Augustine, Florida—not Ireland! 6. It’s a Religious and Secular Holiday. While it began as a religious feast day, Saint Patrick’s Day has evolved into a global celebration of Irish culture. 7. Guinness and the Holiday. On Saint Patrick’s Day, nearly 13 One of the most colorful Chicago traditions is on the horizon: The 2025 Chicago River Dyeing in honor of St. Patrick's Day. The legendary event, which dates back more than 60 years, takes place 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. There are other understandings of why green is so synonymous with St Patrick's Day. For example, it's seen as symbolizing the color of the shamrock as well as the vivid green Irish countryside. Although Daley had originally proposed dyeing part of Lake Michigan green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, he was persuaded by his friend Stephen M. Bailey, who was the business manager of the Chicago Plumbers Union, to dye the more manageably sized Chicago River instead — and a tradition was born. St. Patrick's Day brings green decorations, outfits and even beer, so it's only fitting that the nation's county with the most Irish people take it a step further and dye a waterway green. Monday Chicago’s green river tradition began in 1962 when local plumbers union business manager Stephen Bailey—inspired by plumbers using fluorescein dye to trace wastewater—partnered with Mayor Richard J. Daley to transform the Chicago River for St. Patrick’s Day instead of their original target, Lake Michigan. "Green River" is about to take on a whole new meaning this weekend as the Chicago River once again gets dyed green for St. Patrick's Day. The iconic event this year takes place Saturday, March 16 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. The backstory: It all started with a grand idea from Mayor Richard J. Daley, who wanted to turn Lake Michigan green for St. Patrick's Day. When he realized how ambitious of a task that would be The highlight of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Chicago kicks off on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 a.m. This year’s river dyeing will take place west of Columbus Drive and east of Orleans The backstory. It all started with a grand idea from Mayor Richard J. Daley, who wanted to turn Lake Michigan green for St. Patrick's Day. When he realized how ambitious of a task that would be What time will the river be dyed green? The Chicago River will be dyed green beginning at 10 a.m., according to the city. The annual river dye will be followed by the St. Patrick's Day parade. This led to Richard J. Daley, the mayor of Chicago in 1955, to the idea of dyeing a part of Lake Michigan green to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. His friend, Stephen M. Bailey, business manager of the Chicago Plumbers Union, convinced him to dye the Chicago River instead, due to it being a more manageable size, per the article . The prospect of turning Lake Michigan, or even a portion of it, green for St. Patrick's Day proved a challenge, but Daley kept the idea on the back burner. Then a coincidence turned his attention to the Chicago River. 154 likes, 1 comments - seaturtleinctx on March 17, 2025: " This St. Patrick's Day, let's talk about why green sea turtles are truly green! Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) get their name from the greenish color of the fat underneath their shells. This green tint comes from their herbivorous diet, which mainly consists of seagrasses and algae. Interestingly, their shells are not actually The tradition, adhered to for decades, will coincide with the city's annual St. Patrick's Day parade. The story goes, in 1961, a man by the name of Stephen Bailey -- the business manager of the Chicago River dyeing: Watch a 60-second time-lapse of the waters turning green for St. Patrick's Day The Chicago River was dyed green in celebration of St. Patrick's Day Saturday morning
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