Green river: Chicago prepares for St. Patrick’s Day with annual river dyeing

Chicago River turns green
Chicago River turns green for St. Patrick's Day CHICAGO, UNITED STATES - MARCH 14: Thousands of spectators gather along the Riverwalk and bridges to watch the Chicago River turn emerald green in Chicago, Illinois, United States on March 14, 2026. A tradition since 1962, the river is dyed every year to celebrate St. Patrickâs Day as tour boats and leisure craft navigate the vibrant waters. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images) (Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Chicago River has a green hue, but there wasn’t a dangerous spill. The river is just ready for St. Patrick’s Day.

The river was dyed on Saturday as part of the annual event, WMAQ reported.

But this year, there was an odd sight swimming in the green water — shark fins.

Jaws didn’t find its way into the middle of a city.

The “fins” were a “visual stunt” for Netflix’s film “THRASH,” which swam most of the afternoon on Saturday.

The film will be released next month and is basically a sharknado, or would it be sharkane, flick where a Category 5 hurricane hits a coastal town, and storm surge dumps sharks in the area.

As for how the green dye got into the water, members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 120 sprayed the dye into the water as part of a decades-old tradition, the Chicago Tribune reported. The boats also carried Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city leaders who waved to those who gathered.

Thousands of people watched from the bridges and sidewalks as the water turned color.

After the dyeing was done, Chicago honored its favorite son, Pope Leo XIV, with the St. Patrick’s Day parade, which had the theme “Faith, Peace and Unity,” the Tribune reported.

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