Chicago's iconic Millennium Park in the Loop, one of the city's prime tourist destinations, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week.
The 24-acre public park in the heart of downtown Chicago is filled with sculptures, trees, gardens and walkable space. It hosts millions of visitors every year, a testament to the rarity of green space in dense urban cores.
“It really is an oasis of calm, an oasis of celebration,” Neal Heitz of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events said.
The department is planning a birthday celebration for the park this weekend.
“Twenty years ago, we were standing on rail-road tracks,” Heitz said.
For decades, the land was used by the Central Illinois Railroad as a parking lot and railyard.
There were many plans to turn it into a lakefront park that never materialized, according to city planners at the time.
Local
Though officials were long under the impression that the land was owned by the rail company, it was actually an easement for railroad use.
“I simply did a title search to see what the situation was, and as it turns out, the city owned the land all along,” said Randy Mehrberg, who was Chicago’s Lakefront Director in the 1990s.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
“When we made the discovery just by doing a title search, we approached the railroad and said, ‘it’s not your land, we’re taking it back.’”
City officials negotiated with the rail company for a transfer of the land and construction of the park began in 1998. It took more than six years to finish and was completed well after the Millennium in 2004.
It’s now one of the top tourist destinations in Chicago, serving as the envy of other cities around the world.
“Well it makes me feel more free you know, with the big cities it feels a bit cramped sometimes,” tourist Zeus Merino said while visiting Cloud Gate, better known as 'The Bean.'
Below is a look at the full schedule for the upcoming weekend celebration of Millennium Park's 20th anniversary from Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events:
Thursday, July 18
The 20th Anniversary Celebration kicks off with ¡Súbelo! presenting an evening highlighting the musical tapestry of Latine culture on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage.
- 5 p.m. - Chuwi, a tropical, indie fusion quartet from Puerto Rico merging salsa, boleros and folk music with flashes of alternative hip hop, psychedelic, and electronic.
- 6 p.m. - Codigo FN, hailing from Sinaloa, Mexico, this Mexican Regional group debuted with intensity on the Billboard charts.
- 7:30 p.m. - Fruko y Sus Tesos with special guest Sonora Dinamita featuring Alfredo de la Fe
Friday, July 19
6:30 p.m. - Grant Park Orchestra in Star Wars and More: the Music of John Williams. Enjoy iconic musical selections—costumes are welcome.
Saturday, July 20
- 8-9:45 a.m. - Join Millennium Park Summer Workouts in Wrigley Square with Pilates with NK Gutierrez (8-9 a.m.) and Yoga with Alie McManus (9-9:45 a.m.). Music by Carlo Basile.
- 11 a.m.-5 p.m. - Family friendly artmaking with Somos Arte in the North Promenade Tent.
- 1-3 p.m. - Physical Theater Festival Chicago performances featuring the Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team, Alexander D’Amazing, Eric Robinson, and Stephanie Diaz with Gaby Diaz, sharing acrobatic displays, clowning and spectacle, trampoline feats, cicada puppets and more in Wrigley Square.
- 2-3 p.m. - Dance Performances in the North Promenade Tent
- 2-5 p.m. - INT’L CAFE sparks opportunities for cultural exchange by connecting language speakers/signers of all levels for immersive conversations with new friends in the North Promenade Tent.
- 3-5 p.m. - Heart of Chicago Soul Club spinning all vinyl, rare and Northern Soul, with Northern Soul Dancing taught by Miss Wolff's Jiving School (3-4pm).
- 3-4 p.m. - Eli’s Giant Cheesecake celebrating Millennium Park’s 20th Birthday at Cloud Gate. Join the celebration and enjoy free cheesecake.
- 4-5 p.m. - A roving performance by Los Pleneros de Don Segundo with horns, vejigantes, cabezudos and stilt walkers.
- 4-5 p.m. - Pop-up Performances by South Shore Drill Team and Ballet Folklorico de Chicago at Cloud Gate.
- 7:30 p.m. - Common with the Grant Park Orchestra
Sunday, July 21
- 11 a.m.-5 p.m. - Family friendly programming in North Promenade Tent, Crown Fountain, and Wrigley Square
- 11 a.m.-12 p.m. - Story hour for families at Crown Fountain.
- 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - The Golden Horse Ranch Band family square dance for all ages in the North Promenade Tent.
- 12-1 p.m. - Interactive Drum Circle and instrument making led by Rhythm Revolution at Crown Fountain.
- 12:30-1:30 p.m. - Performances to be announced.
- 1-3 p.m. - Wonder Wagon brings large, colorful puppets to Wrigley Square with opportunities for hands-on interaction.
- 2-3 p.m. - Dance performances from Chicago artists in the North Promenade Tent
- 2-5 p.m. - INT’L CAFE sparks opportunities for cultural exchange by connecting language speakers/signers of all levels for immersive conversations with new friends in the North Promenade Tent.
- 3-5 p.m. - Sonorama DJ collective with free dance lessons in Salsa and Cumbia
- 4-7 p.m. The S&S Chicago Experience
