A Saint Patrick’s Day Party your Family Won’t Want to Miss!

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Did you know Chicago throws an all-out Saint Patricks Day party?  They dye the river green, have a 3-hour parade and deck the city in festive decor and events.  When we found out about the party, we flew in, just for the day. Our family loved the festivity of  Saint Patrick’s Day in Chicago.

Drive a Car or public transportation?

We flew into the city in the morning.  I worried about driving a car in traffic or parking near the parade.  I thought the train was the way to go.  But, in the end, we decided we needed a place to stash our luggage, so we rented a car.  Driving downtown and parking were not a problem at all, even in this busy, bustling city.

If you are a light packer, the train goes right from the airport into downtown. I’m sure this would be a great option as well.

What to expect at the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

My expectation of parades from my past experience wasn’t exactly what I experienced in Chicago.

Since our flight was slightly delayed, I was really worried we would ‘miss’ the parade.  At home, if you don’t come in the first 30 minutes of a parade it is over!  But in Chicago, the parade goes on and on.  It is a very short parade route, but the floats and cars go on and on for 3 hours!

Typically, in parades in our small town back home, the kids sit on a blanket or curb up front and all the adults bring a chair to enjoy the festivities from the back.  In Chicago, a tall fence blocks the parade and everyone is standing 4-5 people deep.  We squeezed our kids onto the front row to watch for a while, but they didn’t like being up against the gate for very long.

The Saint Patrick’s Day parade isn’t as kid-friendly as I was hoping.   The kids liked getting a few paraphernalia handed out at the parade, but there was no candy.  With so many people at the parade, it was difficult to be handed anything.

Most of the spectators are college students who were drinking, smoking, using profanities, etc.  I was a little worried we brought our kids, but the kids didn’t notice a thing.  I  did make sure we hung on to them tightly because it is really crowded and loud.  One young guy actually ran into and tripped over our stroller.

What to expect in Chicago

My husband told me that Chicago was unseasonably warm. So, being from Texas, I threw a thin jacket in our luggage for all my kids and I.   #MomFail ‘Unseasonable warm’ in Chicago is still freezing for people coming from Texas!  In March, near Saint Patrick’s Day, it will still be very cold in Chicago!  Remember to pack warm coats, gloves, and hats.  We kept ducking into stores to warm up before braving the weather. Especially in the shade cast by the huge skyscrapers.

We even found a small pile of snow the kids loved.

Along the Chicago Riverwalk, a street performance group pulled my son into their act right next to the green river.  The performers kept saying they were going to do this amazing stunt around him.  He was excited to be part of it, but then they just picked up their stuff (and all the money they collected) and left.  It was super awkward and disappointing for our 4-year-old.  He felt like he got stood up.  What a pity to use a child to get your cash!

Things to see in Downtown Chicago

Besides all the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities, we found lots to see and do in the downtown area.  In Millenium park, right next to the parade route, has so many public arts displayed.  The Cloud Gate (we called it the ‘silver bean’) is the most famous sculpture that the kids loved.  Seeing their reflection and walking under and through it was definitely a highlight.  They spent a good deal of time admiring it (and themselves in the mirror).

Along the walking paths, there were several sculptures and monuments to admire and take photos with.

Because we were cold, we hoped in the car and drove out to the Navy Pier.  The pier has a giant Ferris wheel and public art exhibitions.  You can also find stages for musical performances as well as the Chicago Children’s Museum. However, we only had time to take in the view. With the kids contently listening to a book in the car, my husband and I took turns walking out to enjoy the skyline view of the city, as well as the great lake view from the pier.

Driving around downtown was a bit more enjoyable with the heat full blast.  We saw the Trump Tower, the Chicago Theater, and Wrigley Stadium.

The skyscrapers and interesting features left us hoping for another trip, another day. Even though the city was crawling with people, we were able to drive around without a problem.

We ordered a deep-dish Chicago style pizza to go.   On this busy day, it was an hour wait, so order early!  The wait to dine in was over 2 hours!

We ended the day eating pizza and swimming.  A hotel swimming pool is a perfect end to a long day in the city for kids.

We opted for a hotel just outside of downtown which was free when we used our points from our credit card.   We paid for a car, parking and some food.  The parade and other activities were all free, so the day was very budget-friendly.

In 2018, the parade and river dyeing happen on Saturday, March 17th exactly on Saint Patricks Day! If you want more information about the exact location you can find it here.

Can you make it to the Saint Patrick’s Day Party in Chicago? What fun things did you find to do with your family?

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