CHICAGO RIVER SWIM APPROVED FOR HISTORIC RETURN SEPTEMBER 21
The First Organized Swim in the Chicago River in Nearly a Century will Raise Funds for ALS Research and Youth Swimming Lessons
— LET'S SWIM THE CHICAGO RIVER (WE'RE SERIOUS THIS TIME)!
Celebrate the Chicago River's remarkable environmental turnaround by applying to the first organized swim since 1927!
The Chicago River Swim will offer athletes a once-in-a-lifetime experience to swim among the city's famous skyscrapers and under its iconic bridges. This is truly history in the making.
Countdown to CRS
September 21, 2025
READY TO APPLY?
Applications for CRS will open on Tuesday, August 5 at 10:00 AM CDT. All participants must have previous open water experience and agree to several requirements. Capacity is limited. Click below for full details.
THE SWIM COURSE
From Marina Towers to the Wolf Point confluence, check out the swim course that will make history this September.
2024 Event Recap
2024 Event Impact
See the metrics behind the inaugural Chicago River Swim
2024 Media Coverage
Witness what a billion media impressions looks like.
2024 Participant Results
Search the list of award winners and participants alike
2024 Event Photos
View the Chicago River Swim (at the lake) for yourself
— 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.
Founding Partners
