Are you looking for a weekend trip full of leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, green beer, and everything Irish?  If so, take a road trip to Chicago, Illinois and experience a day full of St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

On March 11, Chicago will start the day at 9 a.m. with their famous ritual, dyeing the Chicago River bright green. This has been a tradition for over 50 years and draws nearly 400,000 spectators. The green coloring only lasts for about five hours, so you don’t want to miss it.

At noon, the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will begin at the intersection of Balbo Avenue and Columbus Drive, then continues up Columbus Drive to Monroe Street. This year is the 62nd anniversary of the parade and you’ll see dozens of floats, bagpipes, Irish step dancers, marching bands, and of course plenty of kilts.

What: Chicago’s 62nd annual St. Patrick’s Day parade

When: Saturday, March 11, 2017. Dyeing of the Chicago River begins at 9 a.m. and parade begins at noon.

Where: Columbus Drive (between Balbo Ave. & Monroe St.)

Cost: FREE

For bus routes visit CTA’s Bus System Guide.

To find more St. Patrick’s Day events and celebrations visit http://www.choosechicago.com/st-patricks-day/.