On the Circuit: River Swing Patrons Party

At this year’s River Swing Patrons Party, Harpeth Conservancy supporters gathered to support Tennessee’s rivers — and celebrate immense progress made in the past year. 

Founded in 1999, Harpeth Conservancy has promoted healthy ecosystems through clean water protection, community engagement and rural land protection programs. The organization’s key fundraising event, River Swing, offers an engaging way to make this impact possible — and the River Swing Patrons Party kicks off these festivities.

Hosted at the AllianceBernstein building, the evening offered unbeatable views of the Nashville skyline and Cumberland River — showcasing Harpeth Conservancy’s impact up close. Guests mingled and sampled cocktails, charcuterie boards and macarons while admiring the surrounding scenery. 

Harpeth Conservancy CEO Grace Stranch welcomed patrons, naming them the strongest voices in the organization’s chorus. She then highlighted Harpeth Conservancy’s many successes: growing the Tennessee Water Watch initiative (Tennessee’s first predictive E. coli monitoring program), passing a bill in coalition with partners that added the rest of the Duck River to the scenic river list, and the release of Nashville PBS’ Down the Duck documentary. 

Down the Duck explores the legacy of North America’s most biodiverse river, which provides drinking water for approximately 250,000 Tennesseans, reminding viewers that river protection is an ongoing responsibility. 

“When we started the Decade of the Duck campaign in 2024, I knew that our team had the vision and the expertise, … and that we were going to do really incredible things to protect this river,” said Grace. “I thought it would take 20 years, but within a span of two years, we got it on the most endangered rivers list in the country.” 

To watch Down The Duck, visit https://www.pbs.org/show/down-the-duck-with-john-guider/.