CHICAGO () — The 2026 Chicago River Swim was called off Sunday, just hours before swimmers were scheduled to enter the water, because of weather-related safety risks.
Organizers and the city said the decision was prompted by the possibility of a combined sewer overflow, which could have compromised water quality, along with the threat of lightning. “The safety of the swimmers, volunteers, staff, and spectators remains the highest priority,” officials said.
Doug McConnell, founder of the Chicago River Swim, acknowledged the disappointment for participants who had spent months preparing. He thanked the city and Mayor Brandon Johnson for their support and said the event will return Sept. 19, 2027. “We’ll be back,” McConnell said, adding that organizers look forward to welcoming swimmers to the river again.
Despite the cancellation, the Chicago River Swim will follow through on its charitable pledges. Organizers plan to give $100,000 to Northwestern University for ALS research and $62,500 to the USA Swimming Foundation, which will support swim lessons through the Chicago Park District for children in underserved communities.
Swimmers and other participants were advised to watch official Chicago River Swim channels for updates, instructions and information about next steps.
The weekend’s Friday kickoff, known as the “Big Jump,” went ahead as planned.
Roughly 70 people, including Olympic and Paralympic athletes, jumped into the Chicago River to launch the second annual Chicago River Swim weekend.
The inaugural event in 2025 drew 263 swimmers and marked Chicago’s first organized open-water swim in 98 years. It also generated international attention for the river’s dramatic environmental and recreational transformation.
The event was created to raise money for ALS research while expanding access to swimming instruction and water-safety education for children in Chicago and underserved communities.
“There’s so many kids in Chicago who just don’t have the resources to be able to get that instruction, and it’s life-saving stuff,” McConnell said. He said the program has already funded lessons for 4,000 children and hopes to reach several thousand more this year.
Chicago officials, civic leaders and other swimmers joined Friday’s jump, gathering along the river to take part in the opening ceremony.
Among those who entered the water was John Idler, president and general manager of ABC7 Chicago.
Idler said ABC7’s involvement in ALS initiatives reflects the lasting legacy of former longtime station anchor John Drury.
Drury spent 28 years at the station and was diagnosed with ALS in 2003. He died from the disease in 2007. “We’ve really been supportive of his legacy,” Idler said, describing the cause as deeply personal for ABC7.
Mayor Brandon Johnson acted as master of ceremonies for Friday’s event.
Johnson pointed to the river’s long environmental recovery, saying Chicago has worked to clean the waterway, expand the Riverwalk and restore wildlife habitat after the river was famously reversed.
Former Chicago Bears star Charles Tillman also took the plunge, overcoming some early reluctance.
“I don’t do rivers; I’m a pool guy,” Tillman joked.
His decision to participate was influenced by his personal connections to people living with ALS.
Tillman mentioned former teammates and friends, including Chris Johnson, known as CJ2K, who has been affected by the disease. “With my platform and status and everything else, I just figured, why not?” he said.
Participants said being present at the event helped amplify its impact.
“When you’re here in-person, that creates a better impact than just donating something,” said Johnny of the Rocket Squirrels.
The swim team is preparing for Sunday’s big race, featuring 1-mile and 2-mile open-water courses along the main stem of the Chicago River. For 2026, the city expanded the field from 500 to 750 qualified swimmers.
Swimmers have been training in the river on Friday morning while kayakers, paddle boarders, and safety boats rehearse along the course.
University of Illinois Chicago researchers have been collecting samples along the course over the past three weeks to ensure the river is safe to swim in. They tested the water on Friday morning, and it was good to go.
They will continue testing the water on Saturday and before Sunday’s race.
“Chicagoans should be grateful for the fact that the river and the lake are getting cleaner and cleaner,” Congressman and Chicago Mayoral candidate Mike Quigley said.
For many participants, however, the focus remained on the event’s mission of supporting ALS research and those affected by the disease.
“That message would be you’re not alone,” Tillman said. “More importantly, we can raise enough money this go round and be the last time ever.”
The Chicago River Swim opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, with the first swimmers entering the water at 7 a.m.
ABC7 was scheduled to livestream the Chicago River Swim, presented by the city of Chicago and the mayor, from 6:30 to 10 a.m. Sunday. However, the event was canceled due to weather.
Participants were set to enter the river in small groups throughout the morning. Each registered jumper was set to receive a personal swim buoy, robe, commemorative T-shirt, lunch and a goodie bag. Registration was available at chicagoriverswim.org.
Greg Dutra and Jasmine Minor were going to host the broadcast to showcase swimmers participating in 1- and 2-mile events along the main stem of the Chicago River. Had weather not canceled the event, audiences would have been able to 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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