White House fountain goes green for St. Patrick’s Day

The White House celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday with display of green water from the fountains on the North and South lawns.

The water’s green tint, photographed for Twitter by Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), is an annual tradition begun in 2012 under former President Obama, who famously visited Ireland during his presidency and traveled to a small community where he met distant ancestors.

A very happy #StPatricksDay to all! pic.twitter.com/rlCVLjRPDC

— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) March 17, 2021

The White House fountain was dyed green for #StPatricksDay pic.twitter.com/lq0lfb0CNM

— The Hill (@thehill) March 17, 2021

President Biden, Obama’s former vice president, has been outspoken in his enthusiasm for his Irish Catholic heritage.

The White House said that later in the evening, it would be lit up in all green in celebration of the holiday.

Chicago’s mayor moved to make a similar display over the weekend, and as of Saturday the city’s iconic Chicago River sported its own St. Patrick’s Day green tint. No announcement was made before Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s (D) decision to dye the river green, as officials were reportedly hoping to avoid crowds forming amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, Chicago! ☘️

Although we didn’t gather, we were able to honor long-standing tradition by dyeing the Chicago River green, thanks to the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers. If you’re heading out today, make sure to mask up and watch your distance. pic.twitter.com/UfU2GI74nC

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) March 13, 2021