CHICAGO/PRNewswire/
-- Jackson Boulevard at Lake Shore Drive, immediately south of the Petrillo
Bandshell, will be the new kick-off point for a Jan. 21 rally and march in
downtown Chicago for women’s rights.
Organizers decided
to gather at the stage on Jackson rather than at the Bandshell to protect
Grant Park from damage. The combination of unseasonably warm temperatures,
rain earlier in the week, and anticipated large numbers of marchers
threatened to turn the Petrillo’s grassy field into a mud pit.
Marchers are asked
to gather on Jackson, where the stage will face west and back up near Lake
Shore Drive. Drop off points will be at Columbus and Jackson, unless crowds
force closure of Columbus. Jackson Boulevard will be closed to thru traffic
from Lake Shore Drive to Columbus. There will be a disability access drop
off point at Lake Shore Drive and Jackson.
Pre-rally musical
entertainment begins at 9:30 a.m. Marchers are welcome to arrive on site
after 8:30 a.m. Starting at 10 a.m., Ari Afsar, Karen Olivo, and Samantha
Marie Ware from the cast of Hamilton will speak and perform. A diverse
line-up of speakers including representatives from Planned Parenthood, Youth
for Black Lives,Mothers Against Senseless Killings, author Sara Paretsky,
Cleopatra Pendleton-Cowley of the Hadiya Pendleton Foundation and more will
highlight the rally. At around 11:30 a.m., marchers will head west on
Jackson to Michigan and around the Loop, finishing up back on Jackson
Boulevard near Federal Plaza with a final rallying cry. Jackson Boulevard
west of Lake Shore Drive and Columbus will remain closed if marchers wish to
informally congregate until 2 p.m.
Attendance numbers
for the march continue to grow rapidly, now with more than 120 registered
supporting organizations sending marchers and more than 22,000 people
confirmed to attend on the March’s social media platforms.
Information on
accessibility, speakers, and the march route are available at
womensmarchchicago.org