7 St. Patrick’s Day Traditions You’ve Never Heard Of

Photo credit: CC license by Steve Hardy

6. Green River

Every St. Patrick’s Day for the last 51 years, the city of Chicago, IL has dyed its river green in celebration of the day. The greening of the river kicks off the annual celebration that includes a stellar parade. It draws in celebrities and political power players from across the nation and sometimes even the world. Third in St. Paddy’s day spirit only to Boston and New York, Chicago’s festivities grow larger each year. In 2013, it drew a crowd of some 400,000 spectators.