Chicago is about to get a presidential homecoming with a guest list that sounds more like a Grammy weekend takeover. The Obama Presidential Center grand opening ceremony is set for June 18 at John Lewis Plaza on Chicago’s South Side, with the Obama Foundation confirming performances from Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Common, Eddie Vedder, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Marc Anthony, Tems, The Roots, and U2’s Bono and The Edge. Actress and producer Marsai Martin is also listed as part of the program.
Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, framed the event as more than a ribbon-cutting.
“This Grand Opening ceremony will be unlike any other, filled with music, performances, and hope,” she said. She added, “The Grand Opening Ceremony will reflect a spirit of inspiration and joy, with a big boost from the performers who are sharing their talent with us. We hope to inspire people everywhere to believe in their power to bring change home.”
The ceremony will stream globally at 11 a.m. Central Time on Obama.org and the foundation’s TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook pages. The campus and museum open to the public on June 19, with most of the campus free and accessible, though museum entry requires timed tickets.
The 19.3-acre campus includes a museum, a Chicago Public Library branch, gardens, plazas, a Great Lawn, a playground, athletic spaces, dining, public programming, and art installations created for the site. The Foundation says the center was built as a global hub for civic engagement and community connection.
Obama has tied the project directly to Chicago’s South Side, saying, “Thank you for raising Michelle, for welcoming me as one of your own and for lifting up our family every step of the way. And thank you for embracing this presidential center, not as something of mine, but of yours. Hope is coming home, and it wouldn’t have happened without all of you.”
The roughly $850 million privately funded project arrives after years of planning, delays, debate, and anticipation. Now, with the doors finally opening, the rollout is giving legacy, hometown pride, and headline-level star power all at once.
I’m grateful at 2 weeks from 90 years on the planet to witness what I never even entertained in thought that this could or would happen! I’m glad to be alive and have examples shown of the greatness of our people! I am black and proud!