St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, coming up on Thursday, March 17th. The holiday has its roots in Ireland commemorating St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity to the country, but today has morphed more into a cultural celebration of all things Irish. While it originated in Ireland, however, today is it widely celebrated all over the world in places like Canada, the U.S., England, Australia and Brazil.
Here in the United States, we love any reason to celebrate, and St. Patrick’s Day is no exception. You may be familiar with the classic traditions such as wearing green – and if you need help finding the perfect combo of Greek and Irish apparel, check out some of our favorite St Patrick’s Day tees here ! However, you may not know some of these lesser known, unique traditions for the holiday.
Dyeing The Chicago River
Since 1962, the city of Chicago has dyed its namesake river green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Originally, the green dye was used to help city employees track where undesirable dumped sewage into the river was coming from, but over time has become a festive tradition. Every year on the holiday, the city dumps about 40 pounds of green dye into the river. But don’t worry – the dye is vegetable based and won’t harm the river’s inhabitants.
The World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Hot Springs, Arkansas is home to what Ripley’s Believe it or Not designates as “The Shortest Street in Everyday Use in the World”. Bridge Street is only 98 feet long, but the little town puts it to great use every year with its incredibly popular “World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade”. The event lasts about an hour, but general festivities can last well beyond that. This year’s upcoming parade will feature appearances by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, a Blarney Stone Kissing Contest, and Danny Trejo as the parade starter.
New Dublin, Wisconsin
Every year, in the small Wisconsin town of New London, a group of mischief makers dressed as leprechauns change all the town’s highway signs to read “New Dublin, Wisconsin”. The over 20 year old tradition is a well-loved joke among residents and even has the approval of the city council.