A first-of-its kind birthday party for the City of Chicago brought together over a dozen community groups, local businesses and performers to host a celebration for the city's 187th birthday at the Geographic Center of Chicago at West 37th and South Honore streets.
Between 6 p.m. at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024, dozens of neighbors, friends and fans of Chicago gathered to sing Happy Birthday to Chicago in multiple languages representing the diversity of the McKinley Park neighborhood, in which resides Chicago's sign-denoted geographic center.
St. Andrew Lutheran Church, adjacent to the Geographic Center of Chicago sign, played host for the event, with the McKinley Park News leading organization and executive production with the help of key community partners, including the 12th Ward and community policing officers from the Chicago Police Department's 9th District.
Video clips from Chicago's Birthday Party show the festivities on March 4, 2024, at the Geographic Center of Chicago.
Additional direct supporters of the event included the Coalition for a Better Chinese-American Community (CBCAC), Captain Chicago, Cadinho Bakery, Horizon Science Academy - McKinley Park, Kristoffer's Cakes, the McKinley Park Civic Association, the McKinley Park Underage Drinking and other Substance Abuse Coalition (McK-UDOS), PepsiCo and William McKinley American Legion Post 231.
Five Languages
In addition to joining in communal singing of Happy Birthday to Chicago in five languages, attendees enjoyed the live music performance of Mariachi Luis Alfredo and student musicians from Horizon Science Academy, as well as a surprise rendition of the Polish language Sto Lat happy birthday song sung by Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Dan Pogorzelski.
12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez led the Spanish-language festivities, and Illinois 24th District State Representative Theresa Mah greeted the crowd and helped blow out candles after the CBCAC's Grace Chan McKibben and Pastor Adam Gawel of St. Andrew respectively led birthday singing in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Treats for Everyone
Refreshments were provided courtesy of PepsiCo, which brought cases of drinks to the event from its nearby neighborhood shipping center on West 35th Street. Children attending the event had first access to pieces of cake, but thanks to skillful cutting and serving by Kristoffer's Cakes Carlos Chavarria and Cadinho Bakery's Alejandra Rivera, everyone who wanted a piece received one.
City Cast Chicago's Michelle Navarro attended the event and highlighted it in their March 7, 2024, podcast, as featured here (starting at 13:50):
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