Chicago River Day! Friends largest volunteer day, celebrating 30 years of service

The river provides critical habitat for all sorts of animals from migratory birds to beavers, mink, turtles and over 75 species of fish. It's health is rebounding after years of abuse, but litter remains a stubborn problem. Studies show areas without litter deter future littering, so one of the most important ways to deter littering is to clean it up. Every year since 1992, Friends give the Chicago and Calumet Rivers a good spring cleaning on Chicago River Day, part of our effort to create a Litter Free Chicago-Calumet River.

Chicago River Day will be May 14, 2021, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. throughout the watershed, from Lake County to the Calumet. Registration will open in March!

The pandemic has brought more people out to utlize our public lands utilize more then ever before, but unfortunately it has also caused an increase in litter. Volunteers are asked to register online ahead of time so they can agree to the required waivers and we can manage our group size. Since cleanups are outdoors and generally spread out, they are an activity still available during this health crisis, where social distancing is critical.