At 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Rahm Emanuel will be sworn in as mayor of Chicago with a ceremony in Grant Park. The public is invited to attend, and some V.I.P. guests—including vice president Joe Biden—will also be present.
According to The Chicago Tribune, the high-profile guest list has prompted major security precautions: Aldermen who plan to attend the ceremony, for example, were asked to submit their social security numbers in advance. Following the ceremony, the new mayor will host an open house on the fifth floor of city hall from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., where he'll greet constituents.
In the days leading up to the big swearing in, kickoff festivities will engage the public. On Saturday, Emanuel's inauguration committee Chicago Together will host the so-called Citywide Day of Service.The event will see the mayor-elect, city clerk-elect, and treasurer joining with locals to participate in volunteer activities that range from creating murals in Humbolt park to removing trash from the banks of the Chicago River. A complete list of activities, and volunteer registration, is available on the Chicago Together Web site.
The day of service begins at 9 a.m. and wraps up at noon; following that, a public concert will take place in Grant Park from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with performances from South Shore Drill Team, Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago, Kids These Days, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, and—you knew this was coming—Chicago. The event is free but does require tickets. The tickets can be picked up, again, on the Chicago Together Web site.
