WE'RE BACK!
The 2026 Chicago River Swim will return to the Riverwalk on Sunday, September 20. Applications open March 31. Full details within this site.
Applications Open
Event Date:
September 20, 2026
2025 Event Recap
2025 Event Impact
See the metrics behind the inaugural Chicago River Swim
2025 Media Coverage
Witness what 3 billion media impressions looks like!
2025 Participant Results
Search the list of award winners and participants alike
2025 Event Photos
View the Chicago River Swim for yourself
2025 CHICAGO RIVER SWIM HYPE VIDEO
HOW'S THE WATER QUALITY?
Have a look at the most recent qPCR water quality results by location within the Swim Course (along each bridge).
APPLICATIONS OPEN MARCH 31
Applications for CRS will open on Tuesday, March 31 and close Monday, April 27. All participants must have previous open water experience and agree to several requirements. Capacity is limited to 500 participants. Selected names will be announnced on May 4.
THE SWIM COURSE
From Marina Towers to the Wolf Point confluence, check out the swim course that will make history this September.
— 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
