Maybe you haven’t heard, but St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago is kind of a big deal. There are many ways to celebrate, and thankfully, you don’t have to be Irish to partake. Whether you’re into more of a traditional celebration or just want an excuse to start drinking before noon, Chicago has got you covered. Here’s your guide to unleash your inner leprechaun:

The Chicago River Dyeing. Saturday, March 13th at 10:45am

Every city has green beer, but only Chicago has a green river. Resulting in an accident over 40 years ago where a chemical reaction caused the river to turn it’s now trademark kelly green, Chicago has been keeping up this festive tradition ever since. . Line up early to get your spot along the Columbus Avenue and Michigan Avenue bridges for the best view. And speaking from experience, dress warmly and be patient. The dye does take awhile to flow completely downstream, so depending on where you are, you could be waiting quite some time for the river to completely transform into all of its shamrock splendor.

Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Saturday, March 13th at 12pm

Everyone loves a parade. And if Irish dancers and bagpipes are your thing, then be sure to stop by the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade kicks off at Balbo and Columbus and ends in front of Buckingham Fountain. This event is a magnet for families, so if you’re looking for a rowdy party akin to the former Southside Irish Parade, look elsewhere. Most of your time will be spent dodging strollers and trying not to step on the little ones running underfoot.

Traditional Irish Bars, Pubs, & Restaurants. Saturday, March 13th

The novelty of green beer never gets old, which is why you’ll see Chicagoans flocking to every restaurant and bar decked out in varying hues of green. With most people slaving away 9-5 on the actual St. Patrick’s Day, most bars and restaurants throw their parties the Saturday before. So, with a Sunday ahead of us to recover, we all get to pretend we’re Irish and celebrate our newfound heritage by gulping pints of Guinness, tossing back shots of Jameson, and chowing down on bangers and mash. So skip out on your typical weekend haunts and opt for a more authentic establishment to enhance your St. Patrick’s Day experience.

• Mystic Celt, 3443 N. Southport Avenue: Irish food, green beer, bag-pipers, and Irish dancers transform this spot into a mini-Dublin. Doors open at 9am, but plan on getting there at least a half-hour early as there will be a line forming way before that. Great bar, but from experience, order your drinks two-at-a-time or else you might be left with green with green beer envy.
• McFadden’s, 1206 N. State Parkway: Make sure you get to bed early. This Gold Coast spot opens its doors at 7am for the festivities and will keep you busy all day long with Irish Car Bomb contests, giveaways, and various forms of Irish entertainment.
• Irish Oak, 3511 N. Clark Street: This Wrigleyville pub boasts traditional Irish food on their menu year-round, so you can only imagine that they give St. Patrick’s Day the red carpet treatment.
• The Kerryman, 661 N. Clark Street: Always packed on the weekends, so St. Patrick’s Day will be no exception as this bar promises a “modern Irish” experience to patrons.
• Irish Eyes, 2519 N. Lincoln Avenue: Many an Irish eye will be smiling as they make St. Patrick’s Day mischief in this Lakeview dive-bar. Have a drink and dance a little Irish jig to their live music.
• Hidden Shamrock, 2723 N. Halsted Street: Their website hails them as “the oldest Irish Pub in Lincoln Park,” and with a name like that, you better believe this place will (sham)rocking on the 13th.
• Paddy Long’s, 1028 N. Diversey Parkway: Those of you donning “Who’s Your Paddy” shirts will fit nicely at this bar that prides themselves on serving up a little bit of Ireland all year-round.
• Johnny O’Hagans Restaurant & Irish Pub, 3374 N. Clark Street: If you want your Guinness served by real Irish bartenders, here’s the place to have a pint and some shepherd’s pie.

Strange Cargo, http://www.strangecargo.com

No, you can’t come here to quench your thirst, but you should swing by prior to the St. Patrick’s Day festivities to make sure you’re properly outfitted for the big day. Strange Cargo allows you to customize your St. Patrick’s Day look by choosing one of their Irish-themed prints to be screened onto a t-shirt style of your choosing. Best of all? You can order online and pick it up later in the store – just beware of their funky hours.

Photo Credit: Lynn Karlstrom

Do you like to laugh? Me too! We have sooo much in common. Since we’ve just established that you and I are two peas in a pod, you’ll probably want to know what I thought about Banana Shpeel, Cirque Du Soleil’s first venture into traditional “theater.”

You might be thinking, but aren’t all of their performances considered…theatrical? Of course! But I’m talking about small stage, intimate audience theater—theater that’s more about the connections made between viewers and performers than it is about the big production value.

Banana Shpeel, which officially opened at the Chicago Theater on November 19, 2009, combines sketch comedy, with slapstick, tap dancing, musical numbers, magic, and traditional Cirque performances. One could say it tries to be everything to everyone. However, in my opinion, it does so successfully.

I didn’t know what to expect when I sat down in my chair, filled with anticipation. Would I see contortionists who would cause me to wince in pain with their pretzel-like bodies? Would the humor be crude like traditional Vaudeville? Would they pick on audience members? Would I be one of them?! The answer to all of these questions was, “YES!” Except for the last one. Sadly, I didn’t get to go onstage, but one lucky girl did as she was fought over by no less than four of the zany characters. Beware of sitting in the front ladies!

Excluding one birthing scene, that I can only describe as uncomfortable, Banana Shpeel kept me smiling, oohing and aahing, tapping my toes, clapping, grooving in my seat and wishing I hadn’t quit dance after high school, so I could be part of a production this fun.

The footwork was fancy (and fast!), the costumes were flashy, and the comedy was just the right amount of bizarre yet silly. If you’re not afraid of clowns, then this is a show you don’t want to miss. And frankly, you could if you don’t get tickets soon. Banana Shpeel only runs until January 3, 2009. After that, you’ll have to travel all the way to New York to see Cirque Du Soleil’s probably least expensive production, but maybe their most inventive.

Photo courtesy of the SFlovestory