Backward River Festival Presents a Celebration of Water, Art, Activism
The Backward River Festival: Reclaiming the Chicago River, a two-day outdoor event presented by the University of Illinois Chicago’s Freshwater Lab, will bring together artists, environmental justice advocates, local residents, and community organizers to examine these questions and reflect on the river’s current condition and future.
The festival is an opportunity for the public, particularly residents in communities surrounding the South Branch and the Sanitary and Ship Canal, to connect to the river and each other through curated activities and engaging art installations, according to UIC LAS English faculty Rachel Havrelock, founder and director of The Freshwater Lab, a humanities and social science initiative focused on environmental justice and water issues in the Great Lakes region.