Parade Information and River Dyeing
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2016 Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade
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Parade Route
The parade starts at Balbo and Columbus. The parade units will proceed north on Columbus Drive and the viewing stand will be located in front of Buckingham Fountain.
Dyeing the Chicago River - (Time and Location subject to change)
Scheduled for 9:00 am, Saturday March 12, 2016 the dyeing can be best viewed from the East side of the Michigan Avenue bridge, the West side of the Columbus Drive bridge or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
Public Transportation Highly Recommended!
We strongly recommend that you come downtown early and if possible take public transportation.
The following are directions to the parade using various public transport methods:
- Blue or Red Lines:
-If you are on the "Blue" or "Red" line, please exit train at any of the loop stops and walk east to Columbus Drive.
www.transitchicago.com - Brown, Green or Orange Lines:
-If you are on the "Brown", "Green" or "Orange" lines then exit at any of the stops along Wabash and walk east to Columbus Drive.
www.transitchicago.com - Metra:
-If you are coming in on Metra, exit Union Station and walk 7 blocks east to Columbus Drive.
www.metrarail.com - Bus:
-For specific bus route information contact the CTA for best instructions to downtown Chicago.
www.transitchicago.com
Driving Instructions
The following are driving directions from various areas in Chicagoland:
- From North or Northwest:
Enter downtown Chicago via I-94, you can exit and go east at Washington, Monroe or Congress Pkwy. Look for parking either at Wells or Wabash. - From West:
Take 290 east onto Congress Pkwy. Look for parking before you get to Michigan Ave, there will be plenty on your right. - From South or Southwest:
Take 94 into the loop, exit at Congress Pkwy, Monroe or Washington. Look for parking at Wells or Wabash.
If you need more specific driving directions try the Google Map link below. Simply enter your address into the 'Starting Address' section on the left of the Google Map page. The center of the parade route (400 S. Columbus Drive, Chicago, Illinois) will be entered for you.
Google Directions to Parade
Parking Information
For Handicapped parking needs, your best bet may be the underground parking below Grant Park, enter on Columbus at Randolph. There is parking at the Hilton located at Balbo and Michigan, one block from start of parade.
Additional parking can be found along Wells between Lake and Van Buren. Parking can also be found along Wabash between Lake and Congress. (This is closest to the actual parade route.)
There is additional parking at Navy Pier which places you about a half mile from the parade route. Be advised that the Flower and Garden Show will be held at Navy Pier the same week of the Parade.
Parking near Randolph places you nicely between the river dyeing and the parade route.
Parking fees can range from $20.00 to $60.00 depending on the lot. We do not have specific pricing information. These prices are estimates only. Your costs may vary.
When is the parade?
The Parade always occurs on a Saturday. If St. Patrick's Day does not fall on a Saturday, the Parade is held the Saturday before. The next Parade will be on, Saturday, March 12th 2016. The Parade always steps off at noon.
Where can I view the Parade?
The Parade route begins on the corner of Columbus Drive and Balbo then continues North to Monroe.
When do they dye the river?
We dye the Chicago River at 9:00 am the day of the Parade.
Where can I see river dyeing?
The best place to see the dyeing is the intersection of Michigan Ave, Wacker Drive and the river.
What is the formula for the dye?
Just like the recipe for Coca Cola, it's a closely guarded secret! But seriously, the formula has been thoroughly tested by independent chemists and has been proven safe for the environment.
Where to stay? Where to eat or drink? Other Irish Events? IrishAmericanNews.com has many Chicago Based events, places to stay, eat and drink that cater to Irish sensibilities. They also have timely deals just for the Irish!
Who can I call about being in the parade?
Please see the registration section of the sponsorship page for information regarding parade participation or call us at (312) 342-6709.
What if it rains or snows?
Parade cancellation? Never! Snow, rain or arctic cold, the parade goes on no matter what.
-If you are on the "Blue" or "Red" line, please exit train at any of the loop stops and walk east to Columbus Drive.
www.transitchicago.com
-If you are on the "Brown", "Green" or "Orange" lines then exit at any of the stops along Wabash and walk east to Columbus Drive.
www.transitchicago.com
-If you are coming in on Metra, exit Union Station and walk 7 blocks east to Columbus Drive.
www.metrarail.com
-For specific bus route information contact the CTA for best instructions to downtown Chicago.
www.transitchicago.com
Enter downtown Chicago via I-94, you can exit and go east at Washington, Monroe or Congress Pkwy. Look for parking either at Wells or Wabash.
Take 290 east onto Congress Pkwy. Look for parking before you get to Michigan Ave, there will be plenty on your right.
Take 94 into the loop, exit at Congress Pkwy, Monroe or Washington. Look for parking at Wells or Wabash.
Dyeing of the Chicago River
Dyeing of the River
Modern Day Miracle
For over 40 years, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers turn the Chicago River green for the St. Patrick's Day Parade celebration. One would ask how this is different from the rest of the year when the river is always a murky shade of green. The difference is both significant and breathtaking because the color green is identical to the greens of Ireland from where it got its name The Emerald Isle.
In 1961 Stephen Bailey was approached by a plumber who was wearing some white coveralls, they knew this only because they could see some of the original color. These coveralls had been mostly stained or dyed a perfect shade of green, an Irish green to better describe it. It was when Stephen Bailey asked how the coveralls got this way, that they discovered that the dye used to detect leaks into the river turned green, not just any color green, but the perfect color green.
A tradition is born
If you were watching this for the first time you would think this is a mistake or a bad joke. You see the dye is orange and its initial color on the surface of the river is orange and you would think to yourself what heathen would do something like this. After a moment or two you then see the true color magically appear.
Two miracles appear that day, the river turns a perfect shade of green something that many other cities have tried but have not been successful at doing, and the second miracle by starting with the color orange giving the impression that river will be orange only to convert the river to that true Irish green. We believe that is where the leprechaun comes in.
As the late Stephen Bailey has said, the road from Chicago to Ireland is marked in green. From the Chicago River to the Illinois River, then to the Mississippi, up the Gulf Stream and across the Atlantic you can see the beautiful green enter the Irish Sea, clearly marking the way from Chicago to Ireland.
Where and When
This is scheduled for 9:00am, Saturday March 12th and can be best viewed from the East side of the bridge at Columbus Drive or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. This is a new location due to construction taking place this year.
Modern Day Miracle
For over 40 years, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers turn the Chicago River green for the St. Patrick's Day Parade celebration. One would ask how this is different from the rest of the year when the river is always a murky shade of green. The difference is both significant and breathtaking because the color green is identical to the greens of Ireland from where it got its name The Emerald Isle.
In 1961 Stephen Bailey was approached by a plumber who was wearing some white coveralls, they knew this only because they could see some of the original color. These coveralls had been mostly stained or dyed a perfect shade of green, an Irish green to better describe it. It was when Stephen Bailey asked how the coveralls got this way, that they discovered that the dye used to detect leaks into the river turned green, not just any color green, but the perfect color green.
A tradition is born
If you were watching this for the first time you would think this is a mistake or a bad joke. You see the dye is orange and its initial color on the surface of the river is orange and you would think to yourself what heathen would do something like this. After a moment or two you then see the true color magically appear.
Two miracles appear that day, the river turns a perfect shade of green something that many other cities have tried but have not been successful at doing, and the second miracle by starting with the color orange giving the impression that river will be orange only to convert the river to that true Irish green. We believe that is where the leprechaun comes in.
As the late Stephen Bailey has said, the road from Chicago to Ireland is marked in green. From the Chicago River to the Illinois River, then to the Mississippi, up the Gulf Stream and across the Atlantic you can see the beautiful green enter the Irish Sea, clearly marking the way from Chicago to Ireland.
Where and When
This is scheduled for 9:00am, Saturday March 12th and can be best viewed from the East side of the bridge at Columbus Drive or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. This is a new location due to construction taking place this year.
Parade Registration & Application
Parade participation is by invitation only from the Parade Committee.
Please send a completed registration form, presented below, to the parade committee. You will be notified if accepted and further instructions will be supplied to you at that time.
Form Instructions Please download, complete and print or save the registration form. The form is in Adobe Acrobat Reader format. Please right click on the link and 'download' the form. Do not simply click on the link as this will display the form in your browser. Certain Acrobat functions, such as saving the the completed form for printing or emailing, will not be available.
Download the Adobe Acrobat Reader Application if you can't open the form.
Send the completed form via the following methods:
Please send a completed registration form, presented below, to the parade committee. You will be notified if accepted and further instructions will be supplied to you at that time.
Form Instructions Please download, complete and print or save the registration form. The form is in Adobe Acrobat Reader format. Please right click on the link and 'download' the form. Do not simply click on the link as this will display the form in your browser. Certain Acrobat functions, such as saving the the completed form for printing or emailing, will not be available.
Download the Adobe Acrobat Reader Application if you can't open the form.
Send the completed form via the following methods:
- Mail To:
The Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee
P.O. Box 16215
Chicago, Illinois 60616 - Email To:
chicagostpatsparade2016@gmail.com
