St. Patrick's Day 2018: When To See Chicago Parades, River Dyeing

CHICAGO, IL — When it comes to holidays, Chicago corners the market on three occasions: Kashmir Pulaski Day, anytime the Cubs win the World Series and St. Patrick's Day. And when it comes to St. Patrick's Day, the city has earned the distinction as the best in the country at celebrating the holiday, according to WalletHub.

To come up with its rankings, the personal finance website used 17 weighted categories —everything from traditions and costs to safety and weather — to compare how 200 of the largest U.S. cities observe St. Patrick's Day. Overall, Chicago beat out Boston as the best city to be in on the holiday. Other nearby cities that made the top 50 list included: Naperville (No. 13), Rockford (41) and Joliet (43).

Along with Chicago and Boston, the top five cities were, respectively: Philadelphia; Buffalo, New York; and New York City. And the worst city to be in on March 17, according to WalletHub's rankings? Moreno Valley, California. (Go to WalletHub's website for the complete list.)

Chicago's reputation as a great place to spend St. Patrick's Day is no surprise to city residents. In fact, one of the area's biggest celebrations — the South Side Irish Parade in the Beverly neighborhood — is set for Sunday, March 11, nearly a week before the actual holiday.

RELATED: St. Patrick's Day 2018 Events On Chicago's North Side

But Chicago isn't just about dyeing the river when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick's Day (although that is a big part of it). Here's a look at some of the different events and activities happening around the area.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

South Side Irish Parade

When: The parade starts at noon on Sunday, March 11

Where: Western Avenue in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. The parade will begin at 103rd Street and will run all the way to 115th Street.

More Patch Coverage:

• Wee Folks To Western: A History Of The South Side Irish Parade: Members of the Coakley family remember how a march around the block in 1979 turned into the South Side's favorite tradition.
• 'A Great Day': Parade Chair Talks South Side Irish Parade: Ed Haggerty, the 2018 South Side Irish Parade Committee Chair, looks forward to the big event on Sunday as final preparations have begun.
• Pub Specials For South Side Irish Parade Day: List: Find out what's going on at your favorite neighborhood pubs after the South Side Irish Parade on Sunday.

Northwest Irish Parade

When: Starts at noon Sunday, March 11

Where: Steps off at William J. Onahan Public School, 6634 W. Raven St., and moves south along Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway, then north to Harlem Avenue.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

Lincoln Park St. Pat's Crawl

When: Begins at 3 p.m. Friday, March 16

Where: Bars and restaurants around Lincoln Park.

More Info: Go to the event's website for a list of venues.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

Chicago Shamrock Crawl

When: Begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 17

Where: A variety of bars and restaurants throughout Wrigleyville.

Cost: $35 to $40

More Info: Go to the event's website for a list of venues.

Dyeing of the Chicago River

When: 9 a.m. Saturday, March 17

Where: Some of the best spots to see it are from the bridges at Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.

Cost: Free

Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade

When: Noon Saturday, March 17

Where: The route begins at Columbus Drive and Balbo Street, heading north down Columbus to Monroe Street.

Cost: Free

More Info: Go to the city's website.

St. Patrick's Festival

When: 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday, March 17

Where: Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave.

Cost: Tickets are $12 to $15 for adults, and kids 12 and younger are free.

What to expect: A family-friendly event that includes Irish music, dances, food and beverages.

More Info: Go to the center's website.

Photo via City of Chicago