Chicago River Turns Green and Parade Route Details for St Patrick Celebrations

The Chicago River was glowing bright emerald green as the city kicked off st patrick celebrations, a tradition begun in 1962 by the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130. The dyeing marked the start of a weekend of parades, street closures and neighborhood events across the city.

St Patrick River Dyeing: When, Where and Operational Notes

The Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 dyed the river at 10: 00 am ET, performing the coloring just west of the Columbus bridge to the east of Orleans before Wolf Point. The river appeared a bright emerald green as the ceremony proceeded.

Organizers closed bridges during the dyeing; however, the Columbus, LaSalle and Orleans bridges remained open for traffic. The Chicago Riverwalk was closed beginning at 11: 00 pm ET on Friday and will remain closed until 6: 00 am ET on Sunday. The dyeing continues a long-running local tradition that began in 1962.

Parade Route, Street Closures and Neighborhood Events

The city’s 71st annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will run along Columbus Drive between Monroe Street and Balbo Drive. The parade theme is “Faith, Peace, & Unity, ” inspired by Pope Leo XIV. Street closures for the parade can begin as early as 8: 00 am ET, including Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road to Wacker Drive and east/west streets within those boundaries, and streets within the boundary of Monroe Street between Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive will be closed.

OEMC said the Chicago Police Department will have an increased presence at all St Patrick events across the city.

Other neighborhood events and traffic impacts include:

• Shamrock Crawl — Wrigleyville: The bar crawl runs from 8: 00 am ET until 6: 00 pm ET. Street closures for the crawl begin at 6: 00 am ET and continue until 6: 00 pm ET at N. Clark Street (1100-1160), N. Clark Street (3450-3600), W. Eddy Street (1100-1160), and N. Seminary Avenue (3505-3525).
• South Side Irish Parade: The parade steps off at 12: 00 pm ET at 103rd and Western Avenue and marches south to 115th and Western Avenue. Parking restrictions will be in effect on both sides of Western from 103rd to 112th Streets. Street closures and staging-area restrictions may begin as early as 7: 00 am ET. The parade is expected to end at 4: 00 pm ET, with the disbanding area located on Western Avenue from 115th to 119th Streets.
• Northwest Side Irish Parade: This parade steps off at 12: 00 pm ET at Onahan School, 6634 W. Raven St., proceeding south on Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway and north to Harlem Avenue. Northwest Highway will be closed to vehicles at 9: 00 am ET, and parking restrictions along the route begin at 7: 00 am ET. Both sides of the street on Neola, Raven, Northwest Highway, Normandy Avenue, Imlay, Neva, Palatine and Natoma will be affected.

City officials advise planning for closures and parking restrictions around parade routes and event areas. The river coloring and related neighborhood activities signal the start of multiple st patrick events happening across Chicago through the parade schedule and community celebrations.