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Weekend Break: The Royal Sonesta
- On March 14, 2026, Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 turned the Chicago River green between Columbus Drive and Orleans Street, starting the 45-minute dyeing event before St. Patrick's Day.
- Originating in 1962 when Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 used dye, the tradition became an annual celebration after Stephen Bailey popularized pouring dye, later switching to vegetable-based powder after 1966 due to environmental concerns.
- About 40 pounds of powdered dye are deployed from two motorboats, with one dumping the orange-red powder and the other stirring to spread the secret, vegetable-based formula.
- Thousands of spectators gathered along the riverfront while some bridges and riverwalk sections closed, and South Shore Line ran extra trains before and after the parade and dyeing.
- Chicago is the only city known to dye its river green annually, an iconic tourism draw; the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency reports no concerning PFAS levels, and the color lasts hours to days.
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18 Articles
18 Articles
Chicago's St. Patrick’s Day traditions live with green-dyed river and parade
CHICAGO — Downtown Chicago looked like a sea of green, or more precisely a river of green, on Saturday as crowds gathered for the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day weekend festivities. Just before 10 a.m., boats from Shoreline Sightseeing carrying…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left6Leaning Right0Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
L 43%
C 57%
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