Lake Katherine goes green for St. Patrick’s Day

By Kelly White

The Chicago River wasn’t the only body of water to take on a shade of green this St. Patrick’s Day.

To celebrate the annual day of the Irish, Lake Katherine Nature Center & Botanical Gardens, 7402 W. Lake Katherine Dr., Palos Height, created a little holiday magic as volunteers and staff dyed its waterfall emerald green on Thursday.

“We’ve been to this event before, a few years ago when they held it and it was so much fun,” Bridget Wyskiel, of Palos Heights, said. “We live close by and this is so much more convenient than going downtown.”

Maureen Monahan, of Oak Lawn, and her daughter, Delaney, 2, at Lake Katherine’s St. Patrick’s Day event on Thursday.

One of Lake Katherine’s most popular features is the waterfall, which tumbles over four separate falls, travels a distance of over 300 feet consisting primarily of rapids and small pools, and descends approximately 30 feet in length before joining the lake itself on the east side.

The water is colored a brilliant shade of green once a year, only on St. Patrick’s Day, to recognize and salute those from an Irish heritage in the surrounding communities. A biodegradable dye was used so it did not affect either the wildlife or the center’s surrounding habitat, according to the center’s operation manager Gareth Blakesley.

The dye was placed directly on top of the water to appear magically.

“I think especially after a hiatus due to COVID, having these community-based events, is what everyone needs after the pandemic,” Blakesley said. “There is a sense of camaraderie especially watching a spectacle like the dying of the waterfall, where people can come and celebrate St Patrick’s Day together.”

The event was cancelled the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, attendees were happy to see the green waters again this year, including Roger Schweikert of Palos Heights.

“This is a great event in the Palos Heights community,” Schweikert, who attended with his two daughters, said. “It’s festive and fun, close to home, and the weather is perfect. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.”

The tradition began about a decade ago when Lake Katherine’s former operations manager, who was of Irish descent, thought it would be a fun event for the community.

The water was dyed in the morning and again at lunchtime, offering two free time slots for families.

“We are so fortunate to have a facility that is just a natural for this,” Bob Straz, Palos Heights mayor, said. “Great to see all the kids with their parents and grandparents outside after the long strenuous winter.”

Lake Katherine Nature Center & Botanical Gardens, 7402 W. Lake Katherine Dr., Palos Heights, created a little magic on St. Patrick’s Day by dyeing its waterfall emerald green on Thursday.