Every St. Patrick's Day For the past forty years Chicago, Illinois has turned their river into a beautiful Irish colored kelly green river. The exact formula is a well guarded secret although Ohio claims to have gotten the formula and will also have a green river in time for Saint Patrick's Day 2009.
On March 14, 2009, the Chicago River was dyed green, as it has been every year since 1962.Chicago Tribune: Chicago St. Patrick's Day festivities start this weekend (March 15, 2009)
Dying a River Green
Among the festivities held in Chicago for St. Patrick's Day is the formal occasion when the Chicago River is dyed bright green. Hundreds of people gather at the riverside to watch authorities dump in the secret dye.Chicago Tribune: Irish eyes are paradin' (March 16, 2009)
The idea for dying the river green was invented in 1962 by parade organizer and plumber Steve Bailey, who noticed a dye used to detect river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls bright green. Although the river once stayed green for a full week, the amount of dye has been decreased and the color fades after a few hours.National Geographic: St. Patrick's Day Facts: Snakes, a Slave, and a Saint (March 16, 2009)
