For the first time in nearly a century, swimmers took to the open water of the Chicago River on Sunday. Participants in the Chicago River Swim made their way along a one- or two-mile route downtown.

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About 300 swimmers participated in the event, marveling at the clean water and festive atmosphere. Event organizers say they'll donate $100,000 to ALS research and $50,000 to fund swim lessons for ...

Over two decades after a band bus dumped hundreds of pounds of human waste into the river, the Chicago River Swim raised $150 ...

It's scheduled for Sept. 21. It will be the first sanctioned swim in the Chicago River in nearly a century. The event was supposed to happen last year, but organizers were denied a permit and ...

Organizers of the Chicago River Swim say they are ready to jump back in this September after permits were denied last year. Why it matters: After decades of industry neglect and even more decades of ...

Photos from the Chicago River Swim on Sept. 21, 2025, which raised $100,000 for research into ALS and celebrated the river’s recovery from its polluted past.

Next month, 500 swimmers will take off on a one- or two-mile swim in open water for the Chicago River Swim. It is a test of endurance and strength, and so was the years-in-the-making effort to get the ...

For the first time in 98 years, the Chicago River will host an open water swim event this fall. The Chicago River Swim event has been approved by the city after officials denied the permit last year.

The Chicago River Swim is returning for 2025, this time without any detours to the beach. Organizers announced today the city has officially signed off on the event set for Sept. 21 in which 500 ...

CHICAGO (WGN) – Want to swim in the Chicago River? Now’s your chance! The Chicago River Swim (CRS) is officially coming back in September and will be held on Sunday, Sept. 21, from 7 to 10 a.m. The ...

Sykes believes any river can become swimmable with proper planning, suggesting cities set goals five to 10 years out as Paris did. The organization hopes 300 cities by 2030 will start the journey ...