Last year, I dipped my proverbial toes in the green-dyed waters, venturing downtown in Chicago for the St. Patrick’s Day celebration with my Nikon Coolpix in hand after years of avoiding the shenanigans. I encountered an invasion of the BORG.
Chaotic, yes (and sticky), but certainly bursting with photographic moments. Soon after, I marked March 15 for the next year on my calendar, and my anticipation grew, particularly during the inevitable slowdown on the streets that below-zero temps bring to Chicago in the winter.
Capturing the Chaos
This year, I prepared myself for Deadpool-style “maximum effort”: activity vest zipped, sunscreen applied (yes, I’m that pale), and wintergreen nicotine pouches secured. All an adventurer needs.
And, boy, the day did not disappoint! It was t-shirt weather warm with beautiful sunlight starting in the morning. The body-to-body chaos commenced around the river, but the vibes overall were copacetic. A BORG-fueled fight that broke out on Randolph St. ended with a handshake between the youthful combatants — a metaphor for the day at large. You’ve gotta fight for your right to party, as the song goes.
Distilled from the day (which I’m now referring to as the Super Bowl of Chicago street photography), I present the second zine in my Overtime series: Bitch, It’s St. Patrick’s Day!
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