Chicago has dyed its river green to celebrate St Patrick’s day.
The dying was performed by the Journeymen Plumber’s Local Union 130 using a harmless vegetable dye. Its origins spring from a type of dye which was used to detect river pollution.
One of the union plumbers noticed it stained a colleague’s overalls green and set about making an environmentally-friendly version of the dye to use in the river celebration.
Interestingly, since the tradition began in 1962, the same two families have spread the dye in the river to begin the weekend-long festivities, passing the honour down the generations.
St Patrick’s Day is on March 17, so why are they starting celebrations early?
Well, in Chicago, the Irish-themed frivolities always begin on a Saturday including three different parades. We can’t blame them for wanting to get going early.
