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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago is getting ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday, March 11. Once again, the holiday will kick off with a half-century old tradition: the dyeing of the Chicago River.
How can I watch the Chicago River dyeing?
The Chicago River will be dyed green at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, just before the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The best places to watch the river dyeing are along the Chicago Riverwalk and on the bridges between State and Columbus.
But make sure to get there early, as the brilliant green color only lasts a few hours!
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How can I watch the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade?
The 68th Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade will be broadcast live by ABC 7 Chicago at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 11. You can watch live on television, abc7chicago.com and wherever you stream ABC7. The broadcast will be posted online to watch on-demand.
ABC 7’s honorary Irish hosts, anchor Judy Hsu and Meteorologist Larry Mowry, will be in the broadcast booth and will be providing parade color commentary along with Karen Ryan, producer of a documentary detailing the history of Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. ABC 7 Reporter Liz Nagy will cover all the excitement and pageantry on the street.
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What is the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade route?
The parade starts at Balbo and Columbus, and will travel north on Columbus Drive to Monroe. The viewing stand will be located in front of Buckingham Fountain.
What can I expect to see in the parade?
The Irish celebration will include bagpipers, Irish step dancers, floats, marching bands, marching politicians, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Queen and more.
What is this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade theme?
The 2023 parade theme is “Recognizing Workers’ Rights,” with Timothy Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, serving as the grand marshal.
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Who is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Queen?
This year’s reigning monarch is Casey Doherty who, when not performing her royal duties, works in Chicago as a data privacy consultant. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and DePaul Law School.
2023 St. Patrick’s Day Queen Casey Doherty (Photo credit: Photographic Excellence)
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Who is the guest of honor?
The 2023 guest of honor is Cllr. Danny Collins, the mayor of Cork County, Ireland.
What else is going on in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day weekend?
Archer Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Saturday, March 11
The Archer Avenue parade steps off at noon at 53rd Street and South Oak Park and proceeds south on Oak Park to Archer Avenue; east on Archer to Narragansett; south on Narragansett to 5600 S. Narragansett. The parade is expected to conclude at 2 p.m. and will benefit the “Daniel Golden CARE Trust,” a fund set up to cover ongoing recovery and rehabilitation for CPD Officer Daniel Golden.
Shamrock’n the Block at Old St. Pat’s Church, Saturday, March 11
The second annual Shamrock’n the Block, hosted by Old St. Pat’s Church, returns Saturday, March 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Enjoy live music, Irish pub grub, a pint or two, a bit of Irish dancing and even activities for the wee ones!
A massive, heated tent and a heated outdoor beer garden will come alive with the sounds of fiddles, flutes and Irish music. If you fancy a pint or a jig in a friendly atmosphere, then St. Pat’s is the place to be.
St. Patrick’s Fest, Saturday, March 11
The Irish American Heritage Center on the Northwest Side will host the St. Patrick’s Festival from 1-11 p.m. The festivities include contemporary Irish music, dance, food and drink, children’s activities, Irish gifts and more. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on the day-of. Children 12 and under have free admission. The center is located in the Mayfair neighborhood at 4626 N Knox Ave.
For additional details, visit irish-american.org/event/st-patricks-fest-2023/
South Side Irish Parade, Sunday, March 12
The South Side Irish Parade in the Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods steps off at noon at 103rd and Western Avenue, marching south to 115th and Western Avenue. Parking restrictions in the area begin at 8 a.m. and will remain until 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, but anyone parking in the area that day should read signage before parking. Expect parking restrictions on both sides of the street from 103rd to 112th Streets along Western Avenue. The staging area is located on Western Avenue from 99th to 103rd Streets and Bell to Maplewood Avenues. Street closures along the parade route as well as the staging area begin as early as 9 a.m. The parade is expected to end at 3 p.m., the disbanding area is located on Western Avenue from 115th to 119th Streets. For additional details, visit southsideirishparade.org.
Northwest Side Irish Parade, Sunday, March 12
The parade steps off for its 20th anniversary at noon at Onahan School, at 6634 W. Raven St. proceeding south on Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway and north to Harlem Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood. Northwest Highway will be closed to vehicles at 9am. Parking restrictions are in effect along the route beginning at 7 a.m. and continue through 1:30 p.m. Both sides of the street on Neola, Raven, Northwest Highway, Normandy Avenue, Imlay, Neva, Palatine and Natoma along the route will be affected. For additional details, visit northwestsideirish.org.
Daniel Murray, started the parade 20 years ago to honor his wife who died in 2002.
