Summer Programs are Here!
Wild Mile Workshops, Block Party RSVP, and a seasonal heron celebration!
5th Annual Wild Mile Block Party - RSVP NOW!
IT’S ALMOST TIME!!!!! The 5th Annual Wild Mile Block Party will be on July 19th, 3:00 - 8:00pm, and YOU CAN NOW RSVP!!!
Join us for a celebration of our urban waterways and thriving park spaces. Enjoy local beer, cocktails, food trucks, music, and an outdoorsy prize drawing! Learn from Urban Rivers volunteers how YOU can make a difference for your local waterway, and connect with local nonprofits, artists, and small businesses. The Block Party is FREE, and fun for all ages!
Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your coworkers. All are welcome!
Wild Mile Workshops - They’re Back!
Wild Mile Workshops are BACK FOR THE SEASON, and they’re cooler than ever! In June alone, you can take a yoga class, explore native pollinators, learn about animal enrichment, or make some dandelion wine! RSVP below, and stay tuned for our July, August, and September lineups!
Wanna Know How We Built the Wild Mile?
Hey, remember when we installed the Wild Mile? Well, we recorded it. Or rather, talented volunteer cinematographers Ji Yang and Nick Helfers recorded it. We just edited it (poorly).
Check out the full video at the link in our bio for 21 glorious minutes of hard manual labor, Bubba Tucker interventions, and questionable mulch transfer techniques! Watch the video below!
National Museum of Mexican Art Exhibit
If you haven’t stopped by the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) recently, DO IT!! You won’t be disappointed.
Rebecca D Meyers’ Xochicagoexplores the confluence of two waterway systems, one being the Chicago River and the other belonging to Xochimilco, an ancient settlement which is now a modern borough of Mexico City. We co-curated this exhibition with NMMA and youth from NMMA’s Yollocalli group. The art is incredible - don’t miss out!
Partner Feature: Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago!
We’re excited to announce that we’re a fiscal sponsor for Sustainable Fashion Week Chicago (SFWC)! SFWC produces ethical, environmental, and educational fashion programming, leading up to its twice annual 10-day Sustainable Fashion Week event which unites people, neighborhoods, and industries to reimagine fashion.If you want to get involved, you can join their Sustainable Fashion Leadership Training. This 8-week course provides a digestible overview of the fashion industry and its impact across Chicagoland. Get resources, tools, & support to make a difference! You can also check them out online, or follow them on Instagram @sfwchicago!
Midsommer Black Crowned Night Heron Celebration!
Join us to celebrate Black Crown Night Herons and their conservation successes here in Chicago. On June 24th from 5:30-8:30 we will have A Midsommer BCNH Celebration at the Wild Mile. Complete with mini bird walks, activities, speakers, S’mores, music, and a raffle! RSVP Here!
June Events Calendar
Summer programming is officially on! Event descriptions and RSVP links can always be found on the events page of our website. Make sure to RVSP so we can keep you posted on any updates to events, such as weather-related cancellations! If you have questions about what to expect at an event, check out our know-before-you-go page!
Urban Rivers Events:
Kemetic Yoga and Holistic Nutrition with Ericka Jo: June 4th, 5 - 7pm
South Side River Ranger Social: June 10th, 6 - 7:30pm (Marz)
DIY Dandelion Wine with the Wild Dryad: June 11th, 5 - 7pm
River Ranger Social: June 17th, 6 - 7:30pm (Off Color)
DIY Animal Enrichment by the Trash People: June 18th, 5 - 7pm
Fishing on the Wild Mile: June 20th, 10:00am - 2:00pm
Wild Mile S’mores Night: June 24th, 6:30 - 8:00pm
Midsummer BCNH Celebration: June 24th, 5:00 - 8:30pm
Pollinator Walk With Hive Supply Co: June 25th, 5 - 7pm
Wild Mile Walking Tour: June 27th, 10 - 11:00am
Partner Events:
Wild Mile Yoga with Grace Pisula: Sundays, 5 - 6:00pm
CatJam Jam Session: Wednesdays: 7 - 10:00pm
Insectropolis: Soundscapes in the Urban Gardens: June 16th, 8 - 9:30pm
Night of the Fern Flower (Wianki): June 23rd, 5:30 - 8:30pm
Office Insights
A few years ago, right at the genesis of our River Ranger Camera Crew, we discovered a seemingly-abandoned dock in a barge slip on the south branch. On a whim, we decided to put a wildlife camera there. “Why not?” we thought.
The dock was anything but abandoned. In the years since, we’ve witnessed:
Various genres of gruesome carnivore carnage
Beaver butt-scratching
Three million coyotes
Possible omen of death (cormorants)
Coyote-on-goose crime
Goose-on-coyote crime
Herons pooping, wetly
Coot feet (put those things AWAY)
If you wanna see just a small portion of this delightful drama, click here.