Thousands of people watched on Friday as San Antonio’s famous River Walk was dyed bright green Friday ahead of St. Patrick’s Day.
KENS 5 got to ride on the dye boat to find out how it’s all done.
Paula Schechter with The San Antonio River Walk Association said it only takes two to three people to get the job done.
They load a spray tank onto a boat, fill the tank up with gallons of emerald green dye, and spray away for up to two hours.
Schechter says that nearly 20 gallons are used over two days.
The process takes place while thousands of spectators watch and Irish bagpipers play. The result is magical. The river instantly turns bright green.
Melissa Snyman is a San Antonio native, living in Knoxville, Tennessee. She said she’s been looking forward to the celebration for months.
“There may not be a whole lot of Irish heritage in San Antonio, but that’s okay,” she said. “It’s great dollars for our economy and it’s a win-win because we’re having a blast!”
Another river dyeing will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Schechter said that the green dye fades after a day or two, so you’ll want to get out there soon.