ShamROCK Chicago, an initiative launched to bring together diverse groups supporting Chicago’s rich Irish heritage and strengthen cultural ties to Ireland, presents its 2015 “Five Days of GREENing” project. Beginning March 13 and running through St. Patrick’s Day, iconic Chicago buildings and institutions will again light up green to continue the city’s tradition as the “greenest city in the world” in conjunction with Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative.
The initiative is led by an honorary ShamROCK Chicago Council, a collaboration of esteemed businesses and civic leaders representing Chicago’s many Irish organizations. The Council works as ambassadors, supporting efforts to network with others and generate excitement for the many St. Patrick’s Day events in Chicago.
Upcoming events include:
Shamrock Greening and Selfie Project: Join Chicagoans celebrating St. Patrick’s Day each evening leading up to St. Patick’s Day at the ShamROCK GREENing video showing on Block 37. Submit a ShamROCK Selfie and you may even see yourself in lights—GREEN lights, of course! From Sunday, March 13ththrough Tuesday, March 17th, ShamROCK Chicago will project a video celebrating the GREENing Project and individual Chicago participants onto the Block 37 building, which can be viewed nightly from 7:00-8:00pm from State Street just outside Macy’s. Individual Chicagoans can join the celebration—and be featured in the ShamROCK video—by taking a Shamrock Selfie at designated ShamROCK Selfie Stations around the city, and uploading it to your social media accounts with #ShamROCKChicago or shamrockChicago2015.com/selfieproject, beginning Friday, March 1st. Each day from March 13th-17th, ShamROCK Chicago will choose the GREENest Chicagoans and feature their selfie in that evening’s GREENing project video showing on Block 37 in downtown Chicago. You can also check your selfie on the ShamROCK Chicago site each day.
Dyeing the Chicago River: For over 40 years, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union has turned the Chicago River GREEN in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Come see the river turn a breathtaking green, identical to the green of Ireland, also known as “The Emerald Isle.” The dyeing of the Chicago River begins at 9:30 a.m. on March 14, the day of the Parade. The best place to see the river GREENing is the intersection of Michigan Ave, Wacker Drive and the river.
Downtown St. Patrick’s Day: Chicago’s Downtown Chicago Parade begins at 12:00 noon on Saturday March 14th. The parade starts at Balbo and Columbus. The parade units will proceed north on Columbus Drive and the viewing stand will be located in front of Buckingham Fountain. If you can’t attend, watch the Parade as it is broadcasted LIVE this year by ABC-Channel 7.
South Side Irish Parade: The 2015 South Side Irish Parade will be March 15th, 2015. The parade will step off at 12:00 noon from 103rd and proceed down Western Avenue to 115th Street. The 2015 Emerald Isle Mile, sponsored by Running Excels, begins at 11:00 am just prior to the start of the Parade.
Art Institute of Chicago’s Ireland “Crossroads of Art and Design”: The first exhibition of its kind, Ireland: Crossroads of Art and Design, 1690-1840, captures a prolific point in time on the Emerald Isle when countless foreign architects, artists and artisans worked side by side with their native counterparts to forge a uniquely Irish style. From portraiture to landscapes, from Dublin to the Irish country house – the exhibition will celebrate the Irish as artists, collectors and patrons.
