CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The annual tradition of dying the Chicago River green for St. Patrick's weekend drew a crowd of thousands Saturday morning.
Both sides of the river were packed with people cheering the dye boats-taking video and pictures as drones flew overhead.
Helen, from Queens, New York, was admiring the river.
"Really beautiful...this is a beautiful, clean city," she said. "Everyone's wonderful. It's really great atmosphere."
As they say, ‘everyone is Irish’ on St. Patrick’s Day, well Henry really is. He came from Ireland, where he said St. Patrick's Day celebrations are smaller and "nothing like this."
"I'm looking forward to seeing the river turn green and send some videos back to Ireland."
The dying of the river is a tradition carried on by the Plumber’s Union Local 130 since 1962.
The dye is an environmentally-friendly orange powder once used to detect illegal discharges of sewage from buildings along the river.
The formula is a closely-held secret.
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