Chicago's Birthday Party Celebrates on March 4 at City's Geographic Center

Partygoers in 2024 celebrate Chicago's birthday in front of St. Andrew Lutheran Church at 3658 S. Honore St., Chicago.Chicago’s McKinley Park neighborhood will once again celebrate the anniversary of Chicago’s founding by hosting Chicago’s Birthday Party at the city’s geographic center. This celebration brings attendees together to enjoy cake and refreshments, and sing Happy Birthday to Chicago in multiple languages.

“This landmark occasion represents all the ways we are connected and how all communities have built up our city over the years," said 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez, a co-host of the event. “Bringing together people who have made Chicago and McKinley Park home deserves an annual celebration.”

Chicago’s Birthday Party takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the street in front of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 3658 S. Honore St., Chicago. The all-inclusive, free event features notable local leaders and personalities leading Happy Birthday in their heritages’ languages, with accompanying birthday cakes presented by neighborhood bakers.

The party is the second occurrence of this now-annual event. The first modest sidewalk birthday party in 2024 has grown in 2025 into a permitted city event supported by dozens of local institutions and enterprises, including funding from major sponsors Swap-O-Rama and QTS Data Centers.

Website at McKinleyPark.org

“At Swap-O-Rama, we are proud to be a part of Chicago’s rich and diverse community,” said Vice President of Operations Justin Joseph. “As a sponsor of this incredible celebration, we are honored to support an event that brings people together through culture, language and shared history.”

The Chicago's Birthday Party website at https://mckinleypark.org highlights the contributions of event sponsor and how they're contributing to the event.

Sponsors and Support

Captain Chicago rallies the crowd at the 1st annual Chicago's Birthday Party on March 4, 2024.“As QTS expands our footprint in Chicago, we look forward to connecting with neighbors and engaging with the local community in support of the Chicago Birthday Party celebration,” said Dave Murray, senior vice president of community impact.

Sponsors also participate to provide in-kind support, including birthday cake bakers Kristoffer’s Cakes and Cadinho Bakery, and Pepsico, which is providing complimentary beverages.

Multiple Languages

Planned birthday songs with accompanying cakes include those in Spanish, Cantonese, Polish, Mandarin and English, each sung by a different leader who then blows out the candles on each cake, which are then cut and served after the ceremony. More languages and singers will likely be added to this lineup, according to the event website.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church Pastor Adam Gawel will lead the Mandarin happy birthday song. “I've sung Happy Birthday (祝你生日快乐) more than a few times over the years,” Gawel said, noting his 20 years of fluency, including nine years in China.

Church Infrastructure

His St. Andrew Lutheran Church is an event co-host providing key amenities and infrastructure, including planning and meeting spaces, restrooms, and support for performers, sponsors, bakers and exhibitors.

“It was wonderful to have so many members of our community gathered together at 37th and Honore last year,” Gawel said. “We're really looking forward to welcoming the whole community again to come celebrate Chicago's birthday.”

Dozens of Organizations

Dozens of local organizations, enterprises and individuals have pledged support for the event and its promotion, with planning and production conducted collaboratively on a volunteer basis.

Birthday cakes from Kristoffer's Cakes and Cadinho Bakery add to the 1st annual birthday party on March 4, 2024.Event participants and supporters include the Aquinas Literacy Center, Bethany Baptist Church, Captain Chicago, Chicago Public Library - McKinley Park branch, Chinese-American Service League (CASL), Coalition for a Better Chinese-American Community (CBCAC), Evergreen Academy Middle School, Horizon Science Academy - McKinley Park, John Hughes, Lumpen Radio, Mariachi Luis Alfredo, the McKinley Park Civic Association, the McKinley Park Underage Drinking and Other Substances Coalition (McK-UDOS), Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Dan Pogorzelski, the Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA), Namaste Charter School, Nathanael Greene Elementary School, Photographer Ashley Sliker, State of Illinois 24th District, Tu Casa Guanajuato and William McKinley American Legion Post 231.

Live Music and Ceremony

Attendees can expect to enjoy live entertainment and ceremony,  including performance by Horizon Science Academy’s band, crooning from Mariachi Luis Alfredo, a color guard and gun salute by William McKinley American Legion Post 231 and special appearances by characters like Captain Chicago.

More performers are likely to be added to the lineup, as noted on the event's website, which includes details for location, time and date, and transportation and parking, offered in English, Spanish and Chinese languages.

Geographic Center of Chicago

“We are proud to have the geographic center of this great city right here in the 12th Ward,” Ramirez said. “Hosting this landmark occasion represents all the ways we are connected and how all communities have built up our city.”

“Chicago is more than just where we do business — it’s home,” Joseph said. “The people we serve and the communities we uplift are at the heart of everything we do, and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with our fellow Chicagoans."

Ed. Note: The McKinley Park News is a volunteering co-sponsor of the Chicago's Birthday Party event.