Photo courtesy of Emmett O’Brien.
It’s that lucky time of year again, with St. Patrick’s Day kicking off spring break. Many are starting to break out the pints of Guinness, the corned beef and cabbage, and whether or not they can find a leprechaun or four-leaf clover, just as long as it’s green.
One of the most booming cities on St. Patrick’s is undoubtedly Chicago, IL, between the crowded irish bars of downtown, the amount of irish spirit brought to the town, and trying to guess how much Guinness is consumed on this very festive day. St. Ambrose has deep connections to Chicago’s home of the famous green Chicago River.
According to Tracy Schuster-Matlock, the Vice President of SAU Assessment & Institutional Research, 18% of SAU undergraduate students and 8% of graduate students hail from the Chicagoland area and its neighboring border counties in Wisconsin and Indiana.
We asked students around the St. Ambrose campus who are from the city of Chicago, about what they typically do on St. Patrick’s Day, or their annual plans. Eileen Elenteny, an SAU Sophomore Pre-Nursing, is from Lemont. She says she often goes to the “South Side Parade” which is the day before St. Patrick’s Day.
Matthew Ardaugh, a junior in Business, says he attends a parade in Plainfield, and sees some “Irish dancing” for his sister’s school.
Jack Esselman, a junior in Sports Management, says he has a party at his father’s building, which is on the same street as the South Side Irish Parade, for which he sets at “9:00 a.m., which he says is never fun.” After the party, his dad says, “Now you’re to do whatever you want, We’ve been doing this since I was seven years old.” He says once he is on his own, he and his friends go to the park and play some “pick-up football,” Then home to relax.
Jack Breakey, a student in Political Science and International Studies, explains “being South-Side Irish from the Morgan Park-Beverly area, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Sunday before Patty’s Day.” On March 16th when Chicago’s South Side hosts its annual parade at 103rd St and Western and is 2-3 miles. Breakey also says, “The whole neighborhood shuts down and turns into a huge party on a Sunday,” and “it’s probably the most important day in my neighborhood.” He also describes St. Patricks in Chicago as “the reason why we’re famous.”
Aside from the South Side Irish Parade, arguably the most famous and most unique tradition in Chicago, maybe even the world, during St. Patrick’s Day dyeing the Chicago River green. The Chicago Plumbers Union and Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Local 130, start dyeing the river green at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 15th, and some of the best places to watch it happen are State Street and Columbus, as well as from Upper Wacker Drive, and many more bridges. Unfortunately, the dyeing only lasts a couple hours, so get to downtown before it all dissolves.
If the South-Side Parade isn’t your thing, or if you’re only staying in downtown Chicago, for this St. Patrick’s Day, wear your best leprechaun outfit and fancy kilt then be sure to check one of the largest parades in the country, as the 70th annual Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Monroe Drive. The parade will begin at noon, and the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band, leads the way as they have been marching in the parade since 1956. You’ll see tons of colorful floats, waving Irish flags, fleets of Irish dancers, all totalling a three-hour celebration.
Chicago is truly the place to be when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. So whether or not you’re Irish, or just looking for a sweet, grand, and totally festive time, then come on over to the great city of Chicago for one of the most wild and celebrated times of the year.
