The official opening of the Obama Presidential Center this week will double as one of the year’s most impressive all-star music gatherings.
The invitation-only dedication ceremony, scheduled for June 18 in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park, will feature performances and appearances from a cross-generational lineup that includes Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Common, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, the Roots, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Marc Anthony, Tems, Bono and the Edge of U2 and actress/producer Marsai Martin.
The event marks the formal unveiling of the 19.3-acre Obama Presidential Center, a sprawling campus designed to serve as both a museum and civic hub inspired by the values and legacy of Barack and Michelle Obama. The ceremony will be livestreamed via Obama.org and the Obama Foundation’s social channels, while ticketed guests will gather nearby at Midway Plaisance Park to watch the proceedings on large screens.
“This Grand Opening ceremony will be unlike any other,” Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett says. “We hope to inspire people everywhere to believe in their power to bring change home.”
The roster reflects the broad coalition of artists who have intersected with Obama’s political and cultural orbit over the years. Springsteen and Obama famously collaborated on the Renegades: Born in the USA podcast and book, while Common, Wonder, Vedder, John Legend and the Roots have all been frequent participants in Obama-era events and initiatives. Bono and the Edge, meanwhile, have long worked alongside the former president on global development and humanitarian issues.
Organizers describe the ceremony as a gathering of “global leaders, artists, changemakers and citizens,” with a focus on civic engagement and community action as much as entertainment.
Located in Chicago’s South Side, the Obama Presidential Center includes a museum, library, public gardens, walking paths and community gathering spaces. Following the grand opening, the campus will be open daily to visitors free of charge.