Cities across the country are turning to green as they take part in annual St. Patrick's Day parades. The day itself is not until Tuesday - but many cities have already held parades, with attendees decked out in green to celebrate. In the northeast, Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade included two gay and lesbian groups for the first time on Sunday. Scroll down for videos . Pride: Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade included two gay and lesbian groups for the first time on Sunday . Celebrating the Emerald Isle: The Chicago River was dyed green for the 32nd time to mark the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade . Color change: The boat sped through the water, casting out the green dye from the rear . Crowds filled up a staircase to the see the Chicago River be dyed green on Saturday . Queen of the scene: St. Patrick's Day Parade queen Lauren Elizabeth Corry waved during the Chicago parade (left). Crowd member Brian McClard is seen holding his five month-old son Conell Aengus (right). Spirit: A man waves an Irish flag in the Chicago River on Saturday . Music: A band wearing green hats and blazers walk along the parade route in Raleigh, North Carolina Saturday . Alternative transport: A man rides past the crowds in Raleigh, North Carolina, on a unicycle . Over 33 million Irish-Americans are set to be involved in the festivities this year, ABC7 Chicago reported. According to the television station and WalletHub, St. Patrick's Day will see $4.6 billion in sales this year. Around 13 million pints of Guinness will be drunk, the ABC affiliate reported. Chicago has followed its 32-year-old tradition by dying the river green in front of thousands of people who traveled to the city from across the country. On Saturday, parades were held in a number of US cities as well as further afield in Tokyo and Rio. In America these included Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; and San Francisco, California. Approximately 350,000 people showed up to check out the Saturday parade in Denver, Colorado, CBS Denver reported. Social media: Alex Nowakowska left, and Joanna Puchlik right, both of Chicago, take a selfie after the Chicago River is dyed green . History: Freddy Murphy, of Boston, front left, waves an Irish flag while marching with the LGBT community advocacy group Boston Pride during the St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday in South Boston . Pride: U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., center, waves while marching with members of OutVets, a group of gay military veterans, as they, too, participated in the Sunday South Boston parade . Bagpipe brigade: The Boston Police Gaelic Column attended the Sunday parade as well . Here we go! Spectators cheer during the St. Patrick's Day parade, Sunday in South Boston . Greetings: Outvet founder Bryan Bishop (left) and Veterans Council's Brian Mahoney (right) were at the parade . Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade made history Sunday as two gay and lesbian groups marched after decades of opposition that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The gay military veterans service group OutVets and gay rights group Boston Pride joined the annual celebration of military veterans and Irish heritage at the invitation of the sponsoring South Boston Allied War Veterans Council. The Allied War Council's current leaders voted 5-4 in December to welcome OutVets as one of about 100 groups in this year's parade. Boston Pride said it also received an acceptance letter this week. Boston's mayors had boycotted the event since 1995, when the council took its fight to exclude gay groups to the U.S. Supreme Court and won on First Amendment grounds. Musical: New York Shields Pipes & Drums marches during the 27th annual North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival on Saturday,  in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina . Wet weather: Heroes 4 Hire marches along the streets in the rain in South Carolina . Covered up: The rain would not dampen the spirits of these women playing kazoos in North Myrtle Beach . Procession: Bagpipers were in attendance at the Saturday parade held in Atlanta, Georgia . Cheer: A man in the crowd is see at the Atlanta parade on Saturday . Pet parade: A woman holds her cat - decked out in costume - for the Atlanta parade . Snap: Girls held their smartphones up while watching the Atlanta festivities . Setting up: One man is seen in Atlanta with a number of St. Patrick's Day-related items for sale . Drink in hand: Jerry O'Bryan is seen standing in front of a  West Lafayette, Indiana, bar . Form above: Crowds gather along the parade route outside The Gateway Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday . Excitement: Spectators lined the streets in Lincoln, Nebraska, during the build up to the procession . Streets painted green: The Colorado Rockies wished their fans a Happy St Patrick's Day and posted a picture outside their Coors Field stadium in Denver ahead of the Saturday parade . Outfit: Pittsburgh Penguins player Sidney Crosby wore a green jersey on Saturday . The Dallas Mavericks social media team took a selfie in their holiday attire and posted it to Twitter on Saturday . Workers unloaded a truckload of portable toilets  in Pittsburgh in time for the celebrations on Friday . Ready to run: Thousands of enthusiastic, green-clad runners attended the annual St. Patrick'  Day Dash Sunday, March 15, 2015, in Seattle, Washington . All smiles: A woman is seen at the St. Patrick's Day Dash in Seattle . This year Mayor Marty Walsh, Gov. Charlie Baker and other Massachusetts political leaders took part. First-term U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who served four tours in Iraq as a Marine, marched with OutVets. 'I believe gay rights is the civil rights fight of our generation and this is a small, but important, step in the steady march toward freedom and justice,' he said. Some Roman Catholic groups declined to march, including the state Knights of Columbus, saying they felt this year's parade had been politicized. Police were preparing for the festivities, with forces around the country putting on extra officers and increasing DUI checkpoints. WTNH reported that the parade on Sunday in New Haven, Connecticut was predicted to bring in more than 300,000 attendees. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania also held a parade on Sunday. In Tokyo large crowds took to the streets to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, with a number of people wearing green. Meanwhile in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the statue of Christ the Redeemer was turned green. Around the world: Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue was bathed in green light Sunday . In Japan dozens of people donned green outfits to take part in a Omotesando parade . People in Japan entered into the spirit of things and a dog was even dressed as Michael Jackson (right) A Japanese girl plays the bagpipes (left) while others dressed up to take part in the parade on Saturday . Cheer! Attendees in Toyko raise their hands in the air . Dozens of people in Japan entered into the spirit of things at the weekend to celebrate St. Patrick's Day early .
Over 33 million Irish-Americans are set to be involved in the festivities . Chicago River was dyed green for the 32nd time this year . St. Patrick's Day will see $4.6 billion in sales . Reports suggest around 13 million pints of Guinness will be drunk globally .