When will the Chicago River be dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day?
The iconic tradition is set to take place this weekend, kicking off the holiday celebrations in true Chicago fashion and setting the stage for a day filled with parties, a parade and more.
What time should you watch and how?
Here’s what to know:
What time is the river dyeing?
The Chicago River will be dyed green beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, according to city officials.
Where can you watch it?
If you’re heading to the city for the big event, the best places to watch are from Upper Wacker Drive, or from one of the bridges spanning the Chicago River, according to Choose Chicago.
Revelers will not be permitted to watch from the Chicago Riverwalk, as the walk along the river will be closed for the event.
For those who will not be in the city, NBC Chicago will stream the event live on its website and mobile app, as well as the station’s 24/7 Chicago News Streaming Channel and its YouTube channel.
Telemundo Chicago will also stream the event on its website and its app.
How does they dye it green?
Each year the Chicago Plumbers union uses boats along the Chicago River, using a concoction that sprays dye out of plumping pipes and spout pumps.
But the mysterious mixture doesn’t come out green – it’s actually orange.
However, once the dye sets in, the color changes to green.
WATCH: Behind the Scenes: Creating Chicago’s Iconic Green River Dye
According to Local 130, other cities have attempted similar feats, but never found success.
What’s in the dye?
The answer to this has remained a mystery for years.
The plumbers union, Choose Chicago says, “still holds the river-dyeing honors today.”
But you won’t be able to find their recipe anywhere.
“Their environmentally friendly dye formula remains a closely kept secret,” Choose Chicago says.
When did the tradition begin?
The story began in 1961 when Stephen Bailey, the business manager of the Chicago Plumbers Local 130 union, was approached by a plumber whose overalls had been dyed a remarkably brilliant shade of green.
According to the story, the dye used to detect leaks in the sewer system along the Chicago River turned the water green, and the idea was born to dye the river green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
Each year, the Journeyman Plumbers Local 130 heads out on boats onto the Chicago River and pours an orange concoction into the water. In a seeming blink of an eye, the dye turns from orange to green, and the water maintains that brilliant hue for the iconic holiday.
How long does the river stay green?
The water in the river will retain its brilliant green color for several days, including on St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
The water retains a shade of green for a while after the initial dyeing takes place, slowly fading over time.
Last year, the water remained green days after the event.
However, according to Choose Chicago “the brilliant green color only lasts a few hours.”
What follows the river dyeing?
The 70th annual Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade will take place on Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Monroe Drive shortly after the river is dyed green, according to officials.
The parade steps off at noon, and lasts for several hours.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
