Chicago mayor surprises residents by dying river green for St. Patrick’s Day

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) dyed the Chicago River green this weekend in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, surprising city residents. 

“Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, Chicago!” she wrote in a tweet on Saturday marking Wednesday holiday. “Although we didn’t gather, we were able to honor long-standing tradition by dyeing the Chicago River green, thanks to the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers.” 

“If you’re heading out today, make sure to mask up and watch your distance,” she continued, pointing to guidelines advised by public health experts amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

The tweet also featured a photograph that appeared to show a worker putting dye into the river

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, Chicago! ☘️

Although we didn’t gather, we were able to honor long-standing tradition by dyeing the Chicago River green, thanks to the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers. If you’re heading out today, make sure to mask up and watch your distance. pic.twitter.com/UfU2GI74nC

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) March 13, 2021

According to NBC News, the move by the Chicago mayor came as a surprise for many since the city did not indicate in advance that it would be honoring the years-long tradition this year in a bid to prevent large amounts of people from gathering amid the pandemic. 

It reportedly took less than an hour for the river to change colors on Saturday after workers with the Chicago Plumber’s Union began to put dye in the water.

The city will reportedly go without St. Patrick’s Day parades again this year in response to the ongoing pandemic. However, NBC News reports some parade organizers have adjusted their celebrations to fit an at-home crowd this year. 

Rosa Escareno, who served as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, told the network that St. Patrick’s Day “is one of greatest times of the year in Chicago, but as we enter the second year of this pandemic our celebration must look different than typical years.”

“We have to stay diligent and commit to the regulations that keep our community safe. I expect our businesses to rise to the occasion this weekend as they have throughout the pandemic, but we will be prepared to take enforcement action if necessary,” Escareno added.