To help contain the crowds again due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Chicago officials canceled the annual death of the Chicago River event – a long-standing tradition of St. Patrick’s Day. On Friday, the Chicago Sun Times lamented the lack of greenery for this year’s holiday.
However, on Saturday morning, Mayor Lori Lightfoot shared a image on her Twitter report announcing that the river was being dyed that morning in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
“Happy St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Chicago! Although we didn’t get together, we were able to honor the longstanding tradition of tinting the Chicago River green, thanks to the Chicago Journeymen plumbers. If you’re leaving today, make sure to mask and observe your distance, “said Lightfoot.
So, even with the second consecutive year without parades in honor of the Irish-inspired holiday, at least one Chicago tradition has broken.
“Due to COVID-19’s continuing public health concerns, the City of Chicago has announced that it will not issue any authorization for parades or large gatherings in the first quarter of 2021,” the parade organizers said in a statement in early February.
Parade officials created a virtual event to celebrate in order to keep everyone safe.