America is getting green and giddy for its largest St. Patrick’s Day parades

NEW YORK — For Saturday, St. Patrick’s Day parades planned across the US, promising to turn one river green in the Midwest, commemorate the bicentennial of a parade in the South and bring in the first female leader of a major beer company as marshal.

The holiday commemorates Ireland’s patron saint and was popularized by largely Catholic Irish immigrants. Although St. Patrick’s Day falls on March 17, the day is celebrated with large parades so that the day does not fall on Sunday, a day of rest for the faithful.

In New York City, neighborhoods have held smaller parades in recent weeks. In February, conservative Staten Island held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade, allowing LGBTQ+ flags and groups. The main parade in Manhattan has included these groups and symbols since 2014.

Heineken CEO Maggie Timoney plans to serve as grand marshal of the Manhattan parade on Saturday, according to organizers. Originally from Ireland, she is the first female CEO of a major beer company. About 2 million people are expected to watch.

The Chicago Plumbers Union plans to green the Chicago River again. Organizers say the tradition, started by the union, uses an environmentally friendly powder once used to check pipes for leaks.

In Savannah, Georgia, organizers expect a historic crowd to participate in the parade, which began in 1824. Ahead of the bicentennial, early 18,000 hotel rooms in Georgia’s oldest city nearly sold out for the weekend.