>> SAINT PATRICK'S DAY IS THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO WILL CELEBRATE WITH NOT ONE BUT STILL BIG PARADES.

THE OFFICIAL CITY PARADE DOWNTOWN IS ON SATURDAY IN THE SOUTH SIDE, IRISH PARADE AT 100 AND 3RD AND WESTERN ON SUNDAY.

BUT CHICAGO PERHAPS BEST KNOWN FOR WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE PARADE ON THE CHICAGO RIVER.

HERE'S EUNICE UP A SIGN WITH THE LATEST EDITION OF SERIES WDW NEWS EXPLAINS.

>> SEEN PATRICK'S DAY IN CHICAGO.

>> WELL, FOR SOME THE HOLIDAY GREEN BEER AND LOTS OF PARTYING.

ONE THING'S FOR CERTAIN CHICAGO'S ESTIMATED 200,000 RESIDENTS OF IRISH HERITAGE TAKE THEIR TRADITIONS.

SERIOUS AND THERE'S NO MORE ICONIC CHICAGO PATRICK'S DAY TRADITION DYING CHICAGO >> THE HISTORY OF THE GREEN RIVER FLOWS BACK TO THE LOCAL PLUMBERS UNION.

THEY'VE BEEN SPONSORING THE DYE JOB FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS.

THE STORY GOES AS THE PALMERS TELL IT THAT BUSINESS MANAGER STEVEN BAILEY GOT THE IDEA SEEING A PALMER IN STAINES GREEN COVERALLS.

SEE THE CITY WAS WORKING TO ENFORCE RESTRICTIONS ON WASTE GOING INTO RIVER DURING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY USING DI TO HELP TRACE THE FLOW OF WASTEWATER AND DETECT LEAKS POW MAYOR RICHARD J DAILY INITIALLY CONSIDERED DYING LAKE MICHIGAN BEFORE ULTIMATELY PICKING A PORTION OF THE MORE MANAGEABLE SIZE CHICAGO RIVER.

AND SO IN 1962, RIVER GOT ITS FIRST FESTIVE DYE JOB.

BAILEY LACKS POETIC, TELLING REPORTERS THAT DIE WITH CONNECT THE CITY TO IRELAND GOING FROM CHICAGO TO THE ILLINOIS RIVER ONTO THE MISSISSIPPI UP STREAM AND ACROSS THE ATLANTIC INTO IRISH SEA.

THE CITY HAS TRIED THE FEW DYE DISTRIBUTION METHODS OVER YEARS.

BUT TODAY A COUPLE OF MOTOR BOATS DO THE JOB, TURNING A ROUGHLY A QUARTER MILE STRETCH OF THE RIVER DOWNTOWN.

JUST THE RIGHT SHADE USING WHAT ORGANIZERS SAY IS ORANGE VEGETABLE BASED POWDER LEAN ON CONTACT WITH THE WATER, THE EXACT RECIPE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET.

SOME LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE LIKE FRIENDS OF THE CHICAGO RIVER FEEL IT HARKENS BACK TO A BYGONE ERA WHEN THE RIVER WAS TREATED AS IT WAS SEWER RATHER THAN A LIVING BODY HOME TO FISH AND WILDLIFE.

>> BUT REGARDLESS OF ONE STANCE, THERE'S NO DENYING THE TRADITIONS OTHER U.S. CITIES HAVE TAKEN THE IDEA DYEING THEIR OWN RIVERS AND CANALS.

EACH MARCH AND WITH THOUSANDS GATHERING ALONG CHICAGO RIVER EVERY YEAR TO SEE IT ALL UNFOLD, THE TRADITION DOES IT SEEM READY TO DIE ANY TIME SOON?

>> HOW COOL IS THAT?

THE CHICAGO RIVER GETS HIS 2024 DYE JOB THIS SATURDAY MORNING AT 10 BETWEEN ORLEANS AND COLUMBUS.

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