The river belongs to people and nature, and Foundry Park is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore a reach of the Chicago River that has been fenced off from the public for decades.

Help us turn $15,000 into $30,000!

Half a dozen members of the Friends of the Chicago River team of 20 jumped into the Main Stem of the Chicago River on September 18 to kick off Chicago River Swim activities.

The fun evening includes a river tour amidst the twinkling bright lights of the city, complementary drinks and hors d’oeuvres from local eateries, and festive onboard entertainment.

The Chicago-Calumet River Summit is Friends' flagship policy forum, bringing together policymakers, scientists, agency leaders, advocates, practitioners, and students to tackle the most pressing issues facing our waterways.

Friends is advocating for stronger nutrient standards with the Illinois EPA, and this unwanted increase in duckweed is a good reason why they should be approved.

Join Friends of the Chicago River for an evening celebrating the members, volunteers, and partners who make our work possible.

Water-quality monitoring conducted ahead of the 2025 Chicago River Swim found that samples from eight locations along the Main Stem consistently met the standard for swimming, offering new evidence of just how far the river has come and what a swimmable future could look like.

Friends of the Chicago River brought our story of success to a new international audience at the United by Rivers Conference in Warsaw, Poland.

Nearly a decade after Friends and Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita launched the Big Jump swim organizers are bringing it back.