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St. Patrick's Day in Chicago
The Parade And the Party Scene

The green river gives Chicago a party tone. Photo: CItyofChicago.org

One of the most fun cities in the USA turns Irish green on St. Patrick's Day. In fact, even its river turns green.

Chicago goes big. There's a huge, lively parade in this old town that begins with the dyeing of the Chicago River.

The river goes green with an environmentally-friendly dye at 10 a.m. (note: it usually occurs at 10:45 but the time has changed this year), at the intersection of Michigan Ave., and Wacker Drive. It is followed by the parade, which goes through Grant Park, running north along Columbus Drive (beginning at Balbo Drive at noon) and ending at Monroe Drive.

People gather before the parade to watch the river being dyed green.

The parade is always the Saturday prior to the actual St. Patrick's Day. For 2012, the parade is March 17. Yes, St. Patrick's Day is on a Saturday!!!

For those still able to see through their Irish eyes at night, the Navy Pier St. Patrick's Day Fireworks are at 7 p.m. It's a 10-minute show with Celtic music and Irish artists at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.)

If that's not enough, there's two more parades. The South Side Irish Parade is Sunday, March 11th. It launches at the corner of 104th Street and Western Avenue at noon and has more than 15,000 marchers and 250,000 spectators. It is considered to be the largest neighborhood-based St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S.

The Northwest Side Irish Parade is also on the 11th. The newest of the annual parades, it rolls at 11 a.m., from 6333 North Northwest Highway

Building up to the parades, the 13th annual Chicago Irish Film Festival at the Beverly Arts Center (2407 West 111th St) shows nine screenings of Irish classic, contemporary and documentary films from Friday, March 2- through Wednesday, March 7.

Irish restaurants in Chicago include The Gage ((24 South Michigan Avenue) featuring Irish items with a twist and the Irish Oak (3511 North Clark Street) with traditional Irish pub fare and brews.

Some of Chicago’s best Irish pubs are in the Loop: Celtic Crossings (751 North Clark Street), Fadó (100 West Grand Avenue), and Emerald Loop (216 North Wabash).

These photos are of Saturday's parade and parade of bars along the route. No mater the weather, the parade must go on in the Windy City.

More St. Patrick's Day Photos & Party Places