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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - A summertime tradition will return to Boston this summer, allowing swimmers to take a dive into the Charles River.
The Charles River Swimming Day, fondly known as 'City Splash', is set for June 18, welcoming swimmers to take a recreational dip in the water near the Esplanade's Fiedler Dock. What's more, this year the Charles River groups are hosting both a one-mile race and the free swim.
The Charles River Conservancy describes the event as a "rare opportunity to swim in the Charles River and raise awareness to bring river swimming back to Boston!"
The annual swimming event wasn't on the books for 2018, canceled in 2019 due to bad weather, and then postponed during the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to COVID-19.
“We’re so excited to bring these signature events back to the Charles River to celebrate river swimming and strengthen community connections to this important resource,” Charles River Conservancy Executive Director Laura Jasinski said in a statement. “We believe everyone should have access to the Charles to cool off on a hot summer day and we are working to make that a reality. We’ll also be highlighting other ways for community members to beat the heat safely in the summer until that day comes.”
This year's one-mile race, hosted by the Charles River Swimming Club, will kick off sometime earlier in the morning, with runners following a course looping between Harvard and Longfellow Bridge. The swim, hosted by the Charles River Conservancy, will happen from midday to late afternoon.
Only 200 slots for the swim will be available and swimmers must be 18 years or older. They must also be capable of completing one mile in 40 minutes or less.
Swimmers, who can begin registering in May, will get 25-minute time slots to enjoy a section of the river near the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Fiedler Dock.
WBZ's Chris Fama (@CFamaWBZ) reports
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