ST. PATRICK’S DYE
Thousands of revelers flood Loop for ‘quintessential’ city tradition: The greening of the Chicago River
Birds are chirping, temperatures are rising and the Chicago River is flowing neon green.
Thousands of revelers flooded the Loop on Saturday for the annual river dyeing and St. Patrick’s Day Parade, including Lisa Henry, a Lincoln Square resident, who stood along the Freedom Boat Club docks waiting to board a vessel for a water-level view.
Henry has watched the dyeing from a boat for past six years and says it’s the best way to take in the verdant spectacle.
“It’s quintessential Chicago. It’s one of the reasons why this city is the best in the world,” Henry said.
Jonathan Levine, the vice president of regional operations for Freedom Boat Club who captained one of the company’s other ships, called it “a huge event for Chicago.” It was Levine’s first time watching from the water in the five years since the company started setting sail on the river’s greenest day of the year.
As the dye settled, Garfield Ridge resident Melissa Seledon sprinted from the river to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Columbus Drive along with her nephews Gabriel, 4, and Ayden, 9.
On his first trip to the Irishthemed activities, Ayden had some tips for the people putting on the parade — most importantly, more “green candy.”
“Also smoke bubbles. Maybe they should add some green smoke,” the budding event planner mused.
Ayden’s aunt didn’t share his concerns, but said she enjoyed the bagpipes. Couple Lisa and Brian Magusin, along with their friend Keri Deluca, came in from the Detroit metro area for the parade.
The trio have been going to a different St. Patrick’s Day parade every year for nearly a decade, the most recent being in Dublin, Ohio, and Royal Oak, Michigan. Grand Rapids is on the docket for next year.
“I love this city. Chicago is beautiful,” Lisa said.
“It’s amazing,” Deluca said. “The city is alive.”