“There are beaches in Chicago!?” It’s a response I’ve become accustomed to receiving when telling people that I grew up hanging out on the sandy, urban edge of the city during the summer. It’s certainly not Orange County or Long Island, but we have the same amenities: waves to splash in, volleyball nets to play with, and food stands to buy hot dogs and popsicles from. Much to the shock and awe of many an East or West Coaster, Lake Michigan is as vast, deep, and hard to sail as any major body of water. It’s not an ocean, but it’s pretty damn close. What does set Chicago beaches apart from the others, however, is their unique sense of urban togetherness. In the Windy City, packing towels, hauling picnic coolers, and busting out the bright swimsuits and cover-ups is more than an annual rite of passage—it’s cause for a community celebration.

Kanye West’s 2007 song “Good Life” referenced the joyfulness of a warmer, brighter season in his hometown of Chicago. Now, “summertime Chi” has more tragic implications, as the season has become synonymous with a rise in local gun violence. Neighborhood lines are deeply drawn, gangs become even more fractioned, and division runs rampant through the city, and especially the South Side. But from June through August, residents from these communities can also be found hanging out together on the sand. “It’s a democratic space,” explains writer and educator Helene Achanzar, who grew up going to the 57th Street beach. “Chicago is a place that is so marked by segregation, but this beach brings in a very diverse population.” There are students from the nearby University of Chicago, families from Kenwood, and kids born and raised in Hyde Park. Differences between the North, West, and South Sides disappear at the water’s edge. “It’s open and welcoming to all visitors,” she adds.

Near Burnham Harbor and Jackson Park, the beaches act as an oasis. Neighborhood residents strip down to their brightest bathing suits, put on their coolest shades, and venture to the lake for more peaceful days. “The people who come here are amazing,” says Lashawn Plunkett, a lifeguard at the 63rd Street beach. “We have people who come to barbecue, to play in the water, and we also have a group of men who play the drums everyday. It’s a close-knit community.” He adds, “a lot of kids show up in jeans and tees because they just wandered over here; they didn’t plan to hang out at the beach, but it’s so close and easy to come to.” As for the fashion vibes, you can find both vibrant prints and plain denim or spandex here. Girls love their pink, while the men tend to stick to a more neutral palette.

Style, like the wonderful aura at these South Side beaches, is a mixed bag, but freedom is the general feeling: The beaches allow for liberation from the heavy coats and scarves required by Chicago’s harsh winters. In reminiscing about the 57th Street beach, Achanzar adds, “It’s a beautiful place and people want to feel beautiful there. So much of what we see stigmatizes Chicago, and when people think of the city, they only see violence and poverty. But anyone who is from there knows that it’s a complex place. It’s not without its problems, of course, but it’s a place that cultivates a lot of joy, and the beaches are a huge part of that.”

Here, photographer Adam Jason Cohen captures the distinct spirit of summer in the Midwestern city at the beaches of Jackson Park and Burnham Harbor on the South Side.