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Women’s March to the Polls Route Released

(Maya Miller / Chicago Tonight)(Maya Miller / Chicago Tonight)

UPDATE: Women’s March Chicago organizers announced a new march route. Get the full details.

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In less than two weeks, Women’s March on Chicago organizers will host their second rally in Grant Park – the March to the Polls.

The Jan. 20 event is designed to “celebrate resistance, demand laws protecting women, support women’s place in power, and stand with the women caring for children, elders and people with disabilities,” according to a flier for the event

Organizers say 11,000 people are confirmed to attend the march and rally and more than 14,000 have expressed interest in going (as of noon Friday, Facebook shows 16,000 are “interested”). Those numbers, they say, are tracking ahead of figures at this point last year, when the Women’s March on Chicago drew a crowd of 250,000.

Rally time, location

The rally begins at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Congress Parkway and Columbus Drive in Grant Park. Attendees should enter the rally via Congress and Columbus. A disability drop-off point will be located at Columbus and Monroe Street. Organizers say the city may restrict cars traveling on Monroe for safety issues (though Monroe is not included in official street closures – see map below).

Recorded videos and music will kick off the event. At 11 a.m., speakers will begin addressing the crowd. A list of speakers has not been released, but organizer Emily Kraiem told Chicago Tonight last month they were “interested in identifying people who have a compelling message about the value of voting and the power of our voices when we vote.” Kraiem is a steering committee member for the event and a board member of the Women’s March on Chicago. 

March route

At 12:30 p.m., the march is scheduled to step off at Congress Parkway and Columbus Drive. It will proceed west along Congress to Michigan Avenue, north to Jackson Boulevard, west to Dearborn Street, north to Randolph Street and west to Clark Street before returning south along Clark to Federal Plaza, where the march will end. (The route for participants with disabilities will proceed along Jackson Drive to Michigan Avenue, instead of Congress.)

Street closures will be in effect from 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 through 3 p.m. Jan. 20 along Columbus Drive, from Monroe Street to Balbo Drive, and Jackson Boulevard from Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue. Closures are also scheduled for the westbound lane of Congress Parkway between Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue. 

Below, a map of the march route (black lines) and street closures (red lines). 


Contact Kristen Thometz: @kristenthometz | [email protected] | (773) 509-5452


Related stories:

Details for Women’s March to the Polls

Dec. 21: In less than a month, Women’s March on Chicago organizers will mark the one-year anniversary of their inaugural march with another one designed to empower women voters. Here are the details for the event.


Women’s March on Chicago Organizers Planning January 2018 Rally

Oct. 12, 2017: Organizers of the Women’s March on Chicago, which drew 250,000 people downtown in January, will mark the one-year anniversary of the event with another march and rally designed to engage and empower voters.


Organizers of Women’s March on Chicago Expand Platform, Look Forward

March 2, 2017: Organizers of last month’s Women’s March on Chicago are hoping to channel the momentum of that event into action through information, education and advocacy.


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