St. Patrick’s Day means spring is near in Chicago — and there’s no better city to celebrate the holiday. Between two parades marching through town, lots of corned beef sandwiches to eat and a river to dye green, there will be no shortage of things to do. Here’s what to expect.
When are the celebrations?
Because St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year — and happens to be the same day as the primary elections — most of the festivities will take place Saturday, March 14.
The dyeing of the Chicago River is scheduled for 9 a.m. and the downtown parade steps off at noon in Grant Park. On Sunday, the South Side Irish Parade steps off at Western Avenue and 103rd Street.
Where are the festivities ?
Only part of the river, between Columbus and Wacker drives, will be dyed. The best viewing spots include:
- the east side of the Michigan Avenue bridge
- the west side of the Columbus Drive bridge
- along the banks of the Chicago Riverwalk between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
Saturday’s downtown parade steps off at Balbo and Columbus Drive and travels up Columbus to Monroe Street. It steps off at noon.
The South Side Irish Parade goes south down Western Avenue, starting at 103rd Street and ending at 115th Street. It steps off at noon.
What kind of weather should I expect?
One week out, early forecasts show a high of 47 degrees with a 50-percent chance of rain.
How do I get to these events?
Organizers highly recommend taking public transportation because of the large crowds expected.
CTA
All CTA “L” lines and over a dozen bus routes have stops near Grant Park and the Chicago River.
The CTA Trip Planner is a useful tool for planning your transit journey, particularly if you need an accessible or step-free trip.
The CTA recommends purchasing fares ahead of time to avoid long lines at train stations. Exact change is needed on buses if paying with cash; contactless bankcards and mobile wallets can also be used for bus fare. Visit the CTA’s website to learn more about ticketing, and check the website for service alerts and disruption announcements.
If you’re expecting to spend the whole day in Chicago, the CTA unlimited-rides pass (1-day, $10; 3-day, $20; 7-day, $28) loaded onto a Ventra Card can be a bargain, but you have to buy a hard plastic Ventra card for $5 to load with credits. (The $5 will be reimbursed as a credit if you register your card online.)
The CTA also sells disposable 1-day paper Ventra Tickets ($10) at all Ventra vending machines, and 3-day Ventra Tickets ($20) at O’Hare and Midway vending machines, so pick one up on your way into town if you’re visiting for the weekend.
Metra
Metra will be adding extra service both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, seven of Metra’s 11 lines will have additional trains and express services. On Sunday, Metra’s Rock Island Line will offer extra service to the 103rd Street/Beverly Hills and 111th Street/Morgan Park stations, which are within walking distance of the South Side parade route.
Metra’s $10 Weekend Pass allows unlimited rides on Saturday and Sunday. The pass can be purchased at stations with open ticket offices or via the Ventra App. Metra’s Monthly Pass holders can use the pass for unlimited travel to any zone on weekends.
All customers are encouraged to buy their tickets before boarding trains.
Driving
For those driving, Millennium Park and Millennium Lakeside Garages have entrances on Columbus Drive, north of Monroe Street or south of Randolph Street.
