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Chicago’s famous green river for St. Patrick’s Day started with a simple idea in the 1960s, formulated by the head of the Plumbers’ Union Local 130.
“Stephen M. Bailey had the idea when one of his plumbers came in to see him and on his overalls there was a green stain,” explained Jim Coyne, the business manager for the union and general chairman of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “The plumber explained they were trying to discover a broken pipe and when the dye hit the water, it bubbled up emerald green.”
Stephen Bailey was a Bridgeport, Illinois, native and longtime friend of then-Mayor Richard J. Daley.
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WATCH HEREAfter his discovery, he gave the mayor a call. Together, the pair started one of Chicago’s most popular traditions, but their ambitions were actually a bit bigger than just the river.
“He wanted to dye Lake Michigan actually. Quite a feat,” Coyne said. “But they went from dyeing the lake to the Chicago River.”
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The process takes two boats. A lead boat drops the dye, and a chase boat mixes it up. Within moments, the river shines a perfect shade of green.
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“People come for the ambience, to be in community, just being a Chicagoan and the pride of Irish heritage,” said Stephen Crano of CHOOSE Chicago. “St. Patrick’s Day is a huge event, not only for tourists, but residents, as well.”
The river dyeing and parade that follows draws hundreds of thousands of people every year and generates millions of economic tourism dollars for Chicago.
The dyeing will take place at 11 a.m. ET Saturday morning, and the parade follows at 1:15 p.m. You can see the show live on NBC Chicago’s website and mobile app, along with the 24/7 News Streaming Channel. Telemundo Chicago will also stream the event on its website and app.
The best view of the dyeing is between Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue for those making the trek to see the green river in person.
