One thing I'd like to do to kill time is bringing the picture above to people around, give the year, and see if they can tell the place & date it was taken. Many experienced travelers do. While I don't count it if he or she is an US citizen.
Indeed, Chicago river dyeing on St. Patrick's day won this none- official holiday much greater public attention worldwide than it would have otherwise, a must see event in central US. Originally a religious feast day in observance of the death of an Irish patron saint, St. Patrick's day has later on evolved into a public holiday in Ireland and now days widely recognized and celebrated among global Irish communities as well as the countries they residence, especially North America. In an immigrants formed country like US, settlers from each ethnic group usually bring in their distinct culture heritages when arrived, preserved, and kept introducing these traditions into greater american communities over generations. When enough time passed, some of these traditions have been widely accepted across various ethnic groups, and eventually became a fabric of American culture; such was St. Patrick's Day.
An interesting fact about first generation immigrants is that, many of them became more proud of their original culture heritage after landed America and even would like to work harder to promote it than in homeland; so did Irish American. In 1737, they held the first ever St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston, 166 years earlier than Ireland in 1903. In the years followed, most of the major US cities joined Boston to start holding the parade, including Chicago in 1843. A St Patrick's day parade in early days was no different from any other holidays' such as Easter Day, Labor Day, and etc; not until 1962, when a chairman of Chicago's St Patrick's parade came up an amazing idea to change the whole thing.
Stemming from Irish tradition, people always like to green something to celebrate St Patrick's day; from wearing green clothes, launching green firework to dyeing their dogs, etc. One day when a Chicago guy Stephen Bailey was inspired by the water pollution tracing practice, that pouring green dye into sewer system to pin point where the waste was discharged in Chicago river, a great idea came into his mind about St Patrick's day parade: how about green a river?
St. Patrick's Day river dyeing, Chicago, March 17, 2012
Three months later, Chicago citizens were stunned by the beautiful Irish green river on 1962 St Patrick's day. 100 pounds of chemical was poured into the water, keep the river green for an entire week. This dyeing practice proved immediate popularity, hundreds of thousands of audiences flooded the banks to admire this cool river. Since then this dyeing tradition became an annual effort to kick off the St Patrick's Parade celebration, with the eco-friendly vegetable-dye replaced chemical originally used.
Chicago River Dyeing, March 11, 2017, Chicago
Today, Chicago river dyeing remains a beloved tradition of Chicagoan, one of the most heavily attended events in US, with hundreds of thousands tourists attracted to visit Windy City during the entire Saint Patrick's Day Celebration week. What an idea.
Being an Irish for one day and lost yourself in the crowd along side Chicago river for a river dyeing can be incredible. On March 11, 2017, a cold and sunny morning, I found myself standing among the green crowd on the river bank, chilling, and yielding when a large vessel spreading dye into the river. Few smaller boats followed closely and made a snake move to churn the water. 30 minutes later, the entire river turns into splendid shinning Irish green. Nothing quite like it.
St. Patrick's Day river dyeing, March 17, 2012, Chicago
Then it is all began. Large crowd started moving alongside the river, thrilling, talking and taking pictures; then heading east, jammed the Grand Park, where St Patrick's Day parade occurs.
Crowd for St. Patrick's Day Parade, Grand Park, Chicago, March 17, 2012
Chicago Saint Patrick's Day Parade is not much different than any other big, noisy, and crowded events, with plenty of Irish dancers, bagpipes, drum corps in tow.
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