THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Let the Shenanigans Begin!
Are you ready to have some green fun as Chicago pulls out all the stops to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this weekend which happens to fall on Sunday? If so, let the shenanigans begin!
The city kicks-off the St. Patrick’s Day weekend with the Dyeing of the Chicago River on Saturday (10:00 a.m.) at Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. A tradition since 1962, this annual event turns the river’s usual murky shade of green to a bright emerald green as revelers line the river to watch this spectacle unfold! Afterwards, it’s time to head on over to Chicago’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade which begins at 12:15 p.m. at Columbus and Balbo Drives proceeding north on Columbus Drive to Monroe Street in The Loop, with a viewing stand in front of Buckingham Fountain. This festive procession will be led by The Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band followed by colorful floats, troops of Irish step dancers, marching bands, bagpipers, drum corps, and more during this two- to three-hour celebration!
Or celebrate at one or more of the city’s many various bar crawls, which include the following:
The Chicago Shamrock Crawl takes place Saturday (8 a.m.-4 p.m.) at Wrigleyville’s best bars. This one-of-a-kind event ticket gets you admission to the 20+ participating bars, a free crawl t-shirt, breakfast buffets, drink specials, a gift card to use on the crawl, giveaways, and more! After all, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day here in Chicago!!
The Official Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl by LIVE takes place Saturday (2 p.m.-9 p.m.) with mandatory check-in at LiqrBox (873 N. Orleans St.) in the River North neighborhood. Don your best green outfit for a day of fun which includes an exclusive wristband for free access to top participating bars; up to 50% off on special drink deals; up to 20% off select food items; specialty Irish-themed drinks; access to pre-game, halftime, and after parties; a costume contest; live DJs at select venues; and many more surprises!
If you prefer not to join a crawl, here’s a link to St. Paddy’s Day 2024 Top Parties in Chicago. St. Paddy’s Day Chicago with Green Curtain Events is your one-stop shop for the best holiday party locations in the city!
Then, Sunday brings us two more St. Patrick’s Day parades, which are:
The South Side Irish Parade begins at 12 p.m. on Western Avenue from 103rd Street to 115th Street in the Beverly neighborhood. This parade is a homegrown, family-friendly celebration of Irish heritage and has been a long-time tradition in this community. This festive procession offers floats, marching bands, bagpipes, dance troupes, and more!
The Northwest Side Irish Parade also begins at 12 p.m. in front of Onahan School (6634 W. Raven Ave.) heading south on Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway then north to Harlem Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood. This fun community event has been celebrating family, friends, and Irish heritage for over 20 years!
Have a Sham Rock ‘n Roll of a Weekend!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
