It’s an annual tradition in Chicago, but this year, this tradition was taken to the extreme.
The Chicago River is dyed green every year for St. Patrick’s Day, and, according to the Internet, for the memes.
Yes, it really is that green… #Chicago #ChicagoRiver #StPatricksDay pic.twitter.com/m3K9o3eVP0
— Suzanne Lynch (@suzannelynch1) March 16, 2019
The dyeing of the river began back in the 1960s when the mayor at the time decided he wanted to do something festive. Forty pounds of orange “Leprechaun Dust” turns the water electric green.
Twitter users had a good time trolling the color choice this weekend because as it turns out, it is exactly the hue used for green screens.
YOU: Oh look, they dyed the river green
ME, AN ARTIST: Oh look, they dyed the river chroma key green#StPatricksDay pic.twitter.com/PPmquC3VOl— Donnachaidha Ó Chionnaigh (@TwoClawsMedia) March 17, 2019
User Donnacha Kenny decided to whip up some special effects magic by turning the river itself into a green screen. He was able to transform real footage of the river into several different scenes including flowing hot lava and a clip from Star Wars.
Apparently, the Chicago River looks good no matter what color it’s wearing.