Attention St. Patrick's Day revelers: You may still be able to find green beer at your neighborhood pub this weekend, but the city is putting the kibosh on its official celebrations. As the reported number of coronavirus cases grows in Illinois, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced today that the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade and river-dyeing festivities have been cancelled.
The Chicago Tribune first reported that the mayor pulled the plug on the downtown celebrations—which were slated to take place on Saturday, March 14—along with parades on the South and Northwest Sides, due to fears that large crowds "posed unnecessary risks" to public health. The decision follows similar cancellations in cities like Boston and Dublin.
"As you might imagine, this was not an easy decision, and we do not take it lightly," Lightfoot said in a Wednesday morning press conference, adding that the city would work with organizers to find alternative dates for the events.
Lightfoot said the city will evaluate future events in accordance with public health officials. Stay tuned for more updates on Chicago's St. Patrick's Day festivities this weekend.