St. Patrick's Day festivities across the Chicago area are in full swing, with a special weekend ahead as the holiday itself falls on Sunday.
While thousands of Chicago-area residents will make their way to the Loop to watch the Chicago River be dyed green on Saturday, you'll be able to finish off the weekend by attending a parade celebrating St. Patrick's Day.
The most well-known of these events is the South Side Irish Parade, the largest community-based St. Patrick’s Day Parade outside of Dublin, Ireland.
Scheduled to step off at 12 p.m. on Sunday at the intersection of West 103rd Street and South Western Avenue, the approximately two-hour parade will march south along Western Avenue to 115th Street, according to its website.
Though the South Side Irish Parade is the city's best known St. Patrick's Day parade, it isn't the only one.
Those who prefer to stay close to downtown can attend the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade, which follows the river dyeing event on Saturday and kicks off at around 12:15 p.m. near Columbus, Balbo and Monroe drives.
On the opposite side of the city from the large South Side Irish Parade is a smaller event, the Northwest Side Irish Parade.
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Based in Chicago's Norwood Park neighborhood, the parade will begin at around 12 p.m. on Sunday, kicking off near Onahan School near the intersection of North Neola Avenue and West Raven Street.
From there, the parade will march southwest along Neola Avenue before heading northwest along North Northwest Highway, with the parade route ending at Harlem Avenue.
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Finally, the newest of Chicago's four St. Patrick's Day parades will also be stepping off this weekend.
The Chicago Working Families' Archer Avenue St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off at around noon on Saturday, marching along Archer Avenue from Oak Park Avenue to Narragansett Avenue.
The parade, put on by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 and the Clear Ridge Men’s Social Athletic Club, with proceeds benefitting the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.
