Chicago dyes the Chicago River green as part of its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, a tradition that has been happening for over 60 years. With the largest Irish American population in Cook County, Chicago goes all out for the holiday. The river dyeing will take place on Saturday, March 15 at 10 a.m. and will last for a few hours to a couple of days. Following the river dyeing, there will be two different parades in the city to honor Irish heritage – the downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade. St. Patrick’s Day originated as a religious holiday to celebrate the saint who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century, but has evolved into a day to celebrate all things Irish. While it is not a federal holiday in the U.S., many people in the country celebrate by wearing green attire and enjoying festivities. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday that marks the start of the tourist season. The river dyeing will be live streamed by USA TODAY, and the parades will be broadcasted by ABC7 Chicago.
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