What The Chicago River Looks Like On St. Patrick’s Day

It ain’t easy being green.

1. Every St. Patrick’s Day, the Chicago River is dyed green.

Image by PAUL BEATY / AP

2. They’ve been doing it for 43 years now.

Image by Scott Olson / Getty Images

3. Other cities have tried to do what Chicago does, but no one does it like Chicago.

Image by PAUL BEATY / AP

4. That’s because they figured out the perfect dye to make the river this vibrant shade of St. Patrick’s Day green.

Image by Scott Olson / Getty Images

5. The dye they use is actually orange (because orange + blue = green, remember?).

Image by Scott Olson / Getty Images

6. And they have a huge parade to go along with it every year.

Image by Scott Olson / Getty Images

7. And I guess that brings in enough revenue to justify dying a river green.

Image by PAUL BEATY / AP

8. The good news is they only have to do a section of it.

Source: greenchicagoriver.com

9. This year was especially awesome because there was a flying leprechaun.

Image by PAUL BEATY / AP

10. Which is pretty remarkable.

Image by Scott Olson / Getty Images

11. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Image by PAUL BEATY / AP