Your Guide to St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago — Where the River Runs Green

Probably the best known and most exuberant party in the Windy City lands on March 17 every year. From the annual parades around the city to the pub crawls, religious celebrations, and dyeing of the river, Chicago gets St. Patrick’s Day right every time.

If you’re game for one of the most Irish experiences you could have in the United States, read on! I’m offering my best insider tips for celebrating St. Paddy’s in style in the Chi-Town.

Why is St. Patrick’s Day so famous in Chicago?

If you aren’t already familiar with Chicago history, there’s a reason the Windy City has this massive bash on the most Irish day of the year. As soon as Chicago became an actual city, the place became a refuge for Irish immigrants fleeing the potato famine of their home country. By 1850, less than 20 years after the city’s founding, one-fifth of Chicago’s residents were of Irish descent.

However, the very first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in the city before that in 1843, commemorating the city’s large Irish heritage. The parade originally led participants to St. Mary’s Catholic Church for mass, all the way until 1896. The parade, for unknown reasons, ceased that year.

In 1956, Mayor Richard J. Daley officially revived the tradition and the parade has been going strong ever since. Since 1956, the parade has been led by the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band, a tradition that continues today. A handful of years later, in 1962, the tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green began, and had also continued since that time.

These two events are probably the most famous and most frequently experienced by visitors, but there’s much more to St. Paddy’s Day in Chicago. Other popular events and activities include:

• St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• Dyeing of the Chicago River
• St. Patrick’s Festival
• Irish pub crawls
• Shamrock’n the Block

How to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day in Chicago

Dyeing of the River

My usual plan for St. Patrick’s Day is to head to the dyeing of the river about two hours before things kick off. Bring people to spend time with as you’ll have a bit of a wait. You’ll be able to “save spots” for each other throughout the day, though, as one or two of you dash off to use the bathroom, grab food, or other needed breaks from standing there.

If you head down early, you’ll be able to snag a prime spot right on the river on the Chicago Riverwalk. I like to hang out between the DuSable Bridge along Michigan Avenue or the FDR Bridge on Lake Shore Drive for the best views.

Be sure to bring a coat, even if it’s predicted to be warm, and wear comfortable shoes.

Save the date: For 2024, the dyeing of the Chicago River will take place on March 16.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Perhaps even more famous in Chicago is the annual parade. The main, official city parade always occurs on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day if the holiday is any other day of the week. The parade kicks off at 12:30 each year, starting at Balbo and Columbus drives. The parade heads north on Columbus Drive going all the way to Monroe.

For the parade, I like to head to the start of the parade, especially if I’m looking to bring home a haul of goodies from the giveaways. You’ll also find the dancers and performers have more energy at the starting point of the parade, meaning you get a better show.

Bring a chair or prepare to stand for a while — the parade lasts a few hours with hundreds of groups from around the country (and even some international!) coming in to show off their Irish pride.

Save the date: The parade will occur on March 16, 2024, rain, snow, or shine. Get Grandstand tickets at Eventbrite.

Take a mobster tour

While we’re at it, let’s not forget the city’s mobster history, predominantly run by Irish mobsters like Dean O’Banion, Big Jim O’Leary, or George “Bugs” Moran. You’ll hear about the rivalry between these guys and their rivals, like Al Capone, John Dillinger, and Lester Joseph “Baby Face” Nelson.

What better way to learn about that history than to take a mobster tour through Chicago? Book early, though, as they’ll fill up fast for the weekend and you might miss out otherwise.

Take a Chicago River cruise

Whether you hop on the specially themed Clover Cruise, ride the Wendella Boats St. Paddy’s Day Cruise, or just grab a regular Chicago water taxi, you’ll have the thrill of a lifetime on the Chicago River. Making your way down the river is always an adventure, but there’s something extra special when the city is alive with celebration — and the close-up of the vivid green water.

Again, be sure to get your tickets early as everything in Chicago sells out fast on St. Paddy’s Day and all weekend long.

Celebrate with a Green River

I’m not suggesting you scoop up a cuppa the Chicago River and test your intestinal durability. No, I’m suggesting you find some Green River soda to drink up. It’s a sweet, lemon-y lime soda (more lime than lemon) made right here in Chicago. Often, you’ll get a bottle of the beverage in the parade but shops around town carry them, too, if you can’t snag one from the floats.

Head to other neighborhoods for amazing Irish eats and smaller crowds

Instead of trying to find a table at the overcrowded downtown restaurants on St. Paddy’s weekend, hop on the El to hit up other neighborhoods for amazing food. Lincoln, Park Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, Lakeview, and Roscoe Village all offer some fantastic eats with fewer crowds.

Play at the St. Patrick’s Festival

If you want to learn more about Irish history and enjoy all sorts of Irish American experiences, head to the Irish American Heritage Center. You’ll find the center wide open at 4626 N. Knox Avenue. The festival runs from midday to nighttime, with activities suited for all ages.

Enjoy performances from Irish dance troupes, singers, bands, and more. Let the kids play at some entertainment and activities just for them. Buy some Irish crafts, drinks, or food, or even participate in genealogy workshops, Irish language lessons, or other Irish heritage learning experiences.

Pick an Irish pub crawl

If there’s one thing Chicago is never short on, it’s Irish pubs. And that means you can either create your own crawl with friends or book an organized crawl with one of the many organizers in town. They’ll take you around to the best Irish bars in the city. 

Tickets usually cover transit, admissions to the bars, and often some gift cards for each bar along the way. Additional drinks are on your tab.

Snag a green beer at one of the many Irish pubs around town

If you don’t feel like doing a pub crawl, you’ve still got the option of downing some flavorful green beer around the city. Many pubs open as early as 7 a.m. on St. Paddy’s day, with green beer, traditional Irish food, Irish music, dancers, and much more all day.

Some of the best Irish pubs include:

• Lizzie McNeil’s Irish Pub
• Chief O’Neill’s Pub
• Cork & Kerry
• Mrs. Murphy’s and Sons’ Irish Bistro
• Lady Gregory’s
• Shinnick’s Pub
• O’Shaughnessy’s Public House
• The Wolfhound Bar and Kitchen

Head to Old St. Pat’s for Shamrock’n the Block

Head to Old St. Patrick’s Church at 700 West Adams Street for music, food, raffles, and many other festivities all themed on St. Paddy’s Day. The festival runs from midday to late afternoon each year, on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, like the rest of the city’s major activities. The main focus is going to be the live music, Irish dance performances, and the huge raffle with a $20,000 grand prize.

Ideally, buy your ticket ahead of time online. There are a limited number of tickets available at the door.

Parking and transit for St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

Whenever anyone comes to Chicago for a big event day, I always make these recommendations on parking, transit, and the like. You don’t want to get stuck in the downtown traffic on the way in or out. Trust me!

Take public transit. Seriously! You’ll still find it crowded but not nearly as crowded and stressful as driving downtown and trying to find parking. You’ll also save heaps of money as downtown parking is expensive.

Take the red line from the north or south or blue line from the west into the city. Hop off at any Loop stops and walk east toward Columbus Drive for the parade or Michigan Avenue for the dyeing of the river. If you take brown, green, or orange lines in, exit along Wabash and walk east towards the Lake.

If you need to drive into the city, you’ll find parking underground below Grant Park. Enter on Columbus Drive from Randolph Street. You’ll also find parking at the Hilton at Balbo and Michigan, along Wells between Lake and Van Buren or along Wabash between Lake and Congress. To find parking, you’ll want to arrive hours before the first event you plan to attend.

Parking fees range between $20 and $60 or climb higher, depending on where you park.

Enjoy St. Paddy’s in Chicago, rain or shine

The parade, festivals, dyeing of the river, and pretty much all other activities in Chicago will go on, whatever the weather. Snow and rain don’t equal cancellation. St. Paddy’s Day must go on!

For the ultimate day out, book a Chicago mobster tour and dig into more of the fascinating history of our city.