Urban Juncture to Celebrate Culture & Community in Bronzeville
Boxville® and The Forum gear up to share “The Best of Build Bronzeville” during city-wide festival
[CHICAGO] – For the 5th year, Urban Juncture is excited to represent Bronzeville as a multi-site partner for Open House Chicago (OHC), the highly-anticipated annual festival presented by the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC). On Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, 2024, Boxville® and The Forum will welcome visitors from across the city with immersive experiences that showcase the vibrant intersection of architecture, art, food, music and community in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood. These free events invite the public to explore unique behind-the-scenes tours of these spaces while enjoying live entertainment, diverse vendor markets, and creative activities.
Since 2011, CAC has produced Open House Chicago to grant free, public access to “places of architectural, historical, and cultural significance,” while highlighting “businesses, organizations, and creative leaders making positive impact in Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods.” Two places that undoubtedly fit this profile in Bronzeville are Boxville, Chicago’s first shipping container mall, and The Forum, one of the last remaining architectural structures of Bronzeville’s golden Black Metropolis era.
Boxville and The Forum will host a weekend of thoughtfully curated programming that showcases the best of what these spaces have to offer.
BOXVILLE | 330 E. 51st. St., Chicago, IL 60615 | 12p-5p each day
On Saturday, October 19, 2024, Boxville will kick off the weekend with “Taste & Texture: A Food & Art Experience,” a sensory feast that blends culinary delights with live art installations and music. “Taste & Texture” brings together an array of food vendors alongside artists and makers, all highlighting the diverse cultures and creativity of Bronzeville.
Featured Vendors:
• Noteworthy, ILA, I-94, Divine Sea Moss, Buy the Pound, Let’s Chop It Up, Synergy Foods
• Boxville: Da Book Joint, Stoviink Creatives, Little Squeeze, The Birth of House
Music, Aries Lounge To-Go, Pimento Nyam Restaurant, 8City, Maker Lab,
South Shore Bicycle Works
DJs & Live Music:
• DJ Jukie Tha KidD, DJ Dink (House & Disco)
• The Mike Wheeler Band (12pm-2:30pm), Neko Suave & The Universal Mind (2:30-4:30)
Art Activations:
• Live Graffiti Art (1pm-3pm)
• Custom Tote Making from the Maker Lab
• Gallery Box curated by SPIFSTEDO, Spif & Edo
Saturday will also feature giveaways, a scavenger hunt, game tent, photo booth, henna art and caricature drawings.
Sunday, October 20, 2024, “Family Fun Day” offers an afternoon filled with exciting activities for all ages, along with an eclectic mix of vendors and live music. Families can enjoy face painting, storytelling, and more!
Featured Vendors:
• Young entrepreneurs Frosty Smart and Kingz Kustomz, I-94, Divine Sea Moss,
Buy the Pound, Son Amoz, Let’s Chop It Up, Synergy Food
• Boxville: Da Book Joint, Stoviink Creatives, Little Squeeze, The Birth of House
Music, Aries Lounge To-Go, Pimento Nyam Restaurant, 8City, Maker Lab,
South Shore Bicycle Works
DJs & Live Music:
• DJ Maya Unique (12pm-2:15pm), DJ Devinci (2:30pm-5 pm)
• Zion Ali (12:30pm-1:30pm), DJEDI (1:30pm-2:30pm), Jamiah Rogers (3pm-5pm)
Sunday will also feature a game tent, bouncy house, photo booth, henna art, face painting by Vavi, storytime with Da Book Joint and poster presentations from the Chicago Architecture Center Teen Ambassadors. The Gallery Box curated by Spif & Edo will also offer an exploration of local art in a unique setting.
THE FORUM | 324 E. 43rd. St., Chicago, IL 60653 | 10a-5p each day
Open House Chicago marks the only weekend that The Forum is open for public tours. This rare step inside of American history is an OHC favorite each year, filling visitors with pride in Bronzeville’s past and hope for its future.
Built in 1897, The Forum stood at the heart of Black Chicago’s social, political, cultural and commercial life. The iconic Forum Hall hosted music greats from Nat ‘King’ Cole to Muddy Waters to the Jackson 5 as well as political speeches, sorority balls, union meetings, dance classes, civil rights events, and so much more.
Open House Chicago visitors will be able to tour the iconic Forum Hall while enjoying a full program of live musical performances. They will see quarter scale reproductions of the recently discovered opening day scenic backdrops, and catch up on ongoing research to determine the backstory of several Black figures uniquely represented in this 1890s artwork. In addition, visitors may engage with community stories playing on the newly installed “Train of Thoughts” digital screen and get a first look at the newest Bronzeville Murals Projects murals.
Live Music:
• The Junta Ensemble will perform jazz and R&B on Saturday
• The Bournés, with their “voices of angels”, will perform gospel on Sunday
“Urban Juncture’s participation in Open House Chicago underscores its commitment to celebrating Bronzeville’s rich culture, history, and future, while fostering community engagement through art, commerce, and shared experiences,” said Ajai Frazier, Boxville Outreach and Programming Coordinator. “This is more than just an event; it’s a chance to witness the dynamic spirit of Bronzeville firsthand.”
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About Urban Juncture:
Urban Juncture is a Bronzeville community investment initiative focused on revitalizing retail along Bronzeville’s main corridors. An effort of Urban Juncture, Build Bronzeville works with diverse partners to combine social enterprises with public, private, and philanthropic support to establish a critical mass of positive enterprises, drive sustainable community change, and re-establish Bronzeville as a powerful Chicago hub of progress. It comprises five closely-linked initiatives that merge social, economic, civic, and creative approaches to achieve comprehensive community development: The Bronzeville Incubator, Boxville®, Bronzeville Cookin’, Engage Bronzeville and The Forum. Learn more at buildbronzeville.com.