Happy Hour Speaker Series

Back by popular demand this summer, Friends’ Happy Hour Speaker Series returns for its second year at the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, featuring presentations from local experts on river wildlife, history, public policy, and community engagement through the duration of the summer.

Held on the museum’s outdoor plaza on the Chicago Riverwalk, the series kicks off at 5 p.m. (speakers begin at 5:15 p.m.) on Thursday, June 26 with an exploration of the Chicago Nighthawk Project from Edward Warden, president of the Chicago Ornithological Society. The seven-part speaker series will continue on select Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. through September 18.

The series is free and open to the public, and donations to Friends of the Chicago River are encouraged to support programming at the museum.

Located in the southwest bridgehouse of the historic DuSable Bridge on Michigan Avenue, the Bridgehouse Museum tells the story of how the Chicago-Calumet River system changed as people's use and relationship with it changed. The five-story museum showcases a river teeming with wildlife due in large part to hard fought water-quality victories and significant restoration efforts led by Friends of the Chicago River. Guests at the museum can also see the massive gears and inner workings of the bridge. The Bridgehouse Museum opened in 2006 as one of the first attractions to pioneer the development of the renowned Chicago Riverwalk and is the only Chicago bridgehouse open to the public.

Save the dates and stay tuned for more information about expert speakers in the coming weeks:

  • June 26: Saving Chicago’s Nighthawks – Edward Warden, President, Chicago Ornithological Society

  • July 10: Otters in the Chicago River Watershed- Chris Anchor, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Forest Preserves of Cook County

  • July 24: Ecology & Conservation of Illinois Dragonflies - Marla Garrison, Director of the Liebman Institute for Science Innovation

  • August 7: Water Quality and Plastic Pollution - Andrea Densham, Alliance for the Great Lakes; Dr. Tim Hoellein, Loyola University, and more

  • August 21: Out in Nature: Creating Safe Spaces in Nature - Henry Adams, Wildlife Management Coordinator, Urban Wildlife Institute; CJ Greco, Learning Exploration Coordinator, Lincoln Park Zoo

  • September 4: Chicago River Trivia Night

  • September 18: Fishes of the Chicago Region: A Field Guide - Francis M. Veraldi, Stephen M. Pescitelli, and Philip W. Willink

Thank you to our sponsors Goose Island Beer Co. and the Fletcher Family for making this special series possible. Email Josh Coles to add your sponsorship support.

The Bridgehouse Museum offers a sliding scale, pay-what-you-can admission to help ensure equitable access to all. The Bridgehouse Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Guided tours of the Bridgehouse Museum are available Friday through Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at an additional cost. For guided tour reservations and other inquiries, please call the museum at (312) 977-0227 or send an email to bridgehousemuseum@gmail.com.