Chicago River Dyed Green for St. Patrick's Day

Chicago's iconic Chicago River turned a vibrant emerald green on Saturday morning, March 14, 2026, as members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 carried out the annual St. Patrick's Day dyeing tradition, drawing thousands of spectators to the downtown waterfront. The event, which began at 10 a.m. just west of the Columbus Drive bridge and extended toward Orleans Street, marked the kickoff to the city's weekend festivities, followed by the main St. Patrick's Day Parade at 12:15 p.m. along Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive to Monroe Street.

The dyeing process involved boats spraying about 40 pounds of a nontoxic, vegetable-based orange powder into the river, which quickly transformed into a brilliant green hue upon contact with the water. This spectacle, visible for the most intense color in the first few hours, typically lingers in a subtler shade for several days, though Saturday's light snow and forecasted showers and thunderstorms could dilute it faster. City officials noted that the Columbus, LaSalle, and Orleans bridges remained open to pedestrians and vehicles during the event, while the Chicago Riverwalk was closed from the previous night until early Sunday...