Chicago St. Patrick's Day what to do where to stay

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If you visit Chicago, Illinois during St. Patrick’s Day this year, then you are truly in for a treat.

Chicago has a lot of fun ways to celebrate Irish culture & tradition throughout the city.

In this overview, we’ll tell you what you can do in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day and where you can stay.

What to Do in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day

Here are a few fun things to do in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day.

Chicago River

The famous Chicago River is dyed green every St. Patrick’s Day, and it’s a really cool sight. To get a truly unique view of it, consider booking this St. Patrick’s Day Green River Booze Cruise.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

You can also enjoy seeing the green Chicago River if you go watch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, where you can also see colorful floats, Irish step dancers, marching bands, bagpipers…and lots & lots of green!

St. Patrick’s Day Parties

There are a lot of great St. Patrick’s Day parties around Chicago, like the party at Fitzgerald’s Nightclub.

St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

What’s St. Patrick’s Day without a good drink?  Luckily, there are a lot of bars around Chicago with great drink specials on St. Patrick’s Day!  You could try this River North bar crawl or this Wrigleyville bar crawl.

St. Patrick’s Day Brunch

But I almost forgot about the most important meal of the day.  Chicago has a lot of great St. Patrick’s Day brunches, like this St. Patrick’s Day Brunch & Day Party.

Where To Stay

If you’re not from around Chicago, then you may need a place to stay.  Here are some suggestions:

  1. If you are planning on going to the parade, then a great hotel would be the Fairmont Chicago Millennium, as it is just steps away from Michigan Avenue
  2. If you are flying into Chicago & you do not want to rent a car, then the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport is a great choice
  3. If you want to save money during your Chicago trip, here are some 3 & 4-star hotels you can get for under $100/night

More About St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

You can find out more about St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago here.

Chicago St. Patrick's Day 2026: What To Do, Where To Stay