Chicago, Illinois, home to Percipia Networks Headquarters,
will mark the 52nd year of dyeing the Chicago River green in
celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. Saint
Patrick’s Day has been observed by the Irish as a religious holiday for over
1,000 years and has been recognized and celebrated around the world for
centuries.
Did you know that the initial idea to color the river bright
green was inspired by a sewage leak? Well actually the stained pair of overalls
of a city plumber, who was in search of the leak he administered a dye into building
pipes to pin point where the pipe entered the river. A bright green dye made its way onto the
plumber’s overalls while in front of Stephen M. Bailey, the Business Manager of
the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union #110 (1962). After seeing the
brilliant green stains Bailey let his imagination run wild as he pursued the
venture to dye the river green as an addition to the years Saint Patrick’s Day
Parade.
And Bailey’s experiment was successful, even leaving the
Chicago River green for a whole week during its 1962 debut. Over half a century later the tradition lives
on. People travel from near and far to
be part of the celebration in Chicago.
The privately funded Saint Patrick’s Day festivity is scheduled to begin
this year at 9:30am on Saturday March 15th, with the parade to
follow at 12pm. And with the record
breaking cold weather this year spectators are bound to also get a glimpse of
green ice!
Today the green river only lasts for a handful of hours, so
if you are in the Chicago area be sure to check it out!
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