CHICAGO — St. Patrick’s Day festivities returned to Chicago on Saturday, bringing young families, couples and college students downtown for the historic river dye and parade.
Thousands of spectators decked out in their best green attire stood behind police guardrails blocking off the parade route on Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Monroe Street as things got underway about 12:30 p.m.
Politicians, unions and a big potato rallied the crowd while blue skies and somewhat tolerable 38-degree weather kept viewers sticking around to the end.
