CHICAGO (WLS) — ABC7 will livestream the Chicago River Swim on Sunday, Sept. 20, as Chicago comes together to support ALS research and youth swim education.
Presented by the city of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago River Swim is a charitable open-water swimming event staged along the main stem of the Chicago River.
The event debuted in 2025, when 263 swimmers took to the river for Chicago’s first organized open-water swim in 98 years. The inaugural swim also drew international attention to the city’s revitalized waterway.
In 2026, organizers increased the number of qualified swimmers from 500 to 750 and reopened registration for a limited group of participants in the 1-mile and 2-mile swims.
Swimmers will enter the Chicago River in small waves throughout the morning. Each registered participant will receive a personal swim buoy, robe, commemorative T-shirt, lunch and a goodie bag. Registration is available at chicagoriverswim.org.
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ABC7 Chicago will stream the swim live on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 6:30 to 10 a.m.
Hosted by Greg Dutra and Jasmine Minor, the broadcast will showcase swimmers participating in 1- and 2-mile events along the main stem of the Chicago River and feature interviews with athletes, civic leaders and other special guests throughout the morning. Audiences can watch on ABC7Chicago.com, Disney+ under the Live tab by selecting ABC7 Chicago and ABC7’s Connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
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