Going Green

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Millions of people around the world will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. The holiday started more than 1,000 years ago in Ireland. That’s a country in Europe. Over time, Irish immigrants helped make St. Patrick’s Day popular in the United States and beyond.

The city of Chicago, Illinois, takes the celebration to another level. Since 1962, officials there have dyed the Chicago River green! The color represents Ireland’s lush green countryside.

Before Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, workers in boats dump about 40 pounds of dye into the river. The dye is actually orange. But when it hits the river, the water turns green. 

People line the river to see the green coloring before it disappears a day or two later. Officials say the dye doesn’t harm the water or the river’s wildlife. 

The Chicago River isn’t the only site to go green for St. Patrick’s Day. The Empire State Building in New York City will be lit up in green lights. Fountains at the White House in Washington, D.C., will be dyed green too.

  1. According to the article, how did St. Patrick’s Day become a popular holiday in the United States?
  2. Based on the article, why was the color green chosen to represent Ireland?
  3. What do you think the article means when it says that “the Chicago River isn’t the only site to go green”?
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