Chicago's river runs green: A vibrant St. Patrick's Day tradition
17 March is celebrated worldwide as St. Patrick's Day. This tradition has its origins in Ireland but has gained popularity across the globe. It is spectacularly celebrated in Chicago, where the river is turned green. This year, crowds of onlookers gathered to witness this momentary transformation.
St. Patrick's Day in Ireland holds the status of both a national and religious holiday, as St. Patrick is the patron saint of the country. Consequently, for residents of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, and Montserrat, it means a day off work.
St. Patrick's Day in Ireland
On this occasion, the Irish typically dress in green, drink beer of the same colour, and enjoy green-themed dishes. Green is not only the national colour of Ireland, but it also symbolises the famous shamrock associated with St. Patrick.
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day involves more than just wearing green clothes and enjoying green drinks. Numerous events are organised each year, including festivals, parades, and Irish dance shows that attract large crowds.
They dye the river green
In many cities around the world, on 17 March, buildings and monuments are illuminated in green. The city of Chicago in the United States has taken this celebration a step further for 63 years by dyeing its river green.
On Monday, 17 March, members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 ventured onto the waterway and pumped gallons of a special dye into the river, temporarily transforming it into a lush, emerald green, swirling spectacle.
The tradition of dyeing the river green began accidentally. In 1961, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 used a special oil-based fluorescent dye to detect leaks and other irregularities, such as illegal chemical pollution. The head of the plumbers' union, Stephen Bailey, noticed that one of the workers' overalls had been stained green by the dye. Since then, dyeing the Chicago River green on St. Patrick's Day has become an annual event.
Importantly, Chicago plumbers stopped using fluorescein in 1966, switching to a vegetable-based powder. Its effect lasts only two days, and its low concentration and rapid absorption ensure it is non-toxic.
