— JOIN US SEPTEMBER 22
IT MAY NOT BE THE RIVER, BUT WE'RE STILL SWIMMING
It may not be the history-making course we hoped for, but the Chicago River Swim remains committed celebrating our river's rebirth at Chicago's greatest open water destination: Ohio Street Beach.
Countdown to Swim: September 22, 2024
— 100 YEARS AGO
RIVER SWIMS WERE THE BEES KNEES
The Chicago River's flow was reversed nearly 125 years ago to draw fresh water from Lake Michigan and clean a polluted river.
To celebrate the waterway's drastic turnaround, the Illinois Athletic Association began hosting a series of open water swims back in 1908.
The river swims attracted the highest-profile swimmers in the world, and more than 100,000 spectators lined the shore. The Chicago River Swims were a jewel in the crown of our young, vibrant city.
River Swim History