Latest news with #2300JacksonStreetBlockParty
Indianapolis Star
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Star-led festival to honor Michael Jackson and Jackson family in Gary. Brothers attending
A block party celebrating one of the biggest families in entertainment is on tap for Indiana. The City of Gary will host the "2300 Jackson Street Block Party" August 29-30, honoring the Jackson family, including Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and the Jackson 5. Comedian and actor Chris Tucker and Grammy-winning Gary native Deniece Williams will host, while DJ Kid Capri performs at the free event that will feature food trucks, vendors and a kids play zone. The festivities will take place from noon to 7 p.m. each day. The August 29 celebration will focus on Michael Jackson on his birthday. On August 30, the entire Jackson family will be honored. Though named for the childhood home of the nine musical children of Joe and Katherine Jackson, the Jacksons block party will take place at Roosevelt High School, 730 W. 25th Ave. The now-closed school is where, in 1966, the Jackson 5 won its first talent show. Jackie and Marlon Jackson will be honored guests at the event. Michael Jackson's childhood home: How to visit in Gary, Indiana Brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael Jackson formed the Jackson 5 in Gary and had four consecutive number-one Billboard Hot 100 hits from their 1969 Motown debut album ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," "I'll Be There"). After Jermaine left the group in 1976, their youngest brother, Randy, stepped in, and the band was renamed the Jacksons ("Blame It on the Boogie," "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)"). The Jackson 5 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Michael Jackson, who died in 2009, was inducted as a solo artist in 2001, and their sister Janet Jackson was inducted in 2019. Sisters Rebbie and La Toya also recorded albums that yielded hit singles. August 29 August 30 For information, visit
Chicago Tribune
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
City of Gary to host two-day Jackson 5 celebration in August
A new two-day celebration in August will celebrate the legacy of the Jackson 5 in Gary and remind the community that 'world-changing talent' can rise from its own neighborhoods, a city news release announced this week. On Aug. 29 and 30, the city will host the 2300 Jackson Street Block Party at Roosevelt High School's campus. 'As Mayor of Gary, I'm proud to celebrate the enduring legacy of Michael Jackson and the entire Jackson family with this incredible homecoming event,' Mayor Eddie Melton said in a news release. 'The 2300 Jackson Street Block Party is more than a celebration — it's a tribute to the roots of greatness that started right here in our city. We honor the Jacksons not just for their global impact, but for the pride and inspiration they continue to give the people of Gary.' The celebration will start on Michael Jackson's birthday, Aug. 29, and will be hosted by actor and comedian Chris Tucker. Attendees will hear and see Michael Jackson's 'legendary music and films that continue to inspire generations worldwide.' On Aug. 30, Gary will honor the Jackson family and welcome Jackie and Marlon Jackson, who are both original members of the Jackson 5. The city will also recognize Tito Jackson, who died in September 2024. Tito Jackson was the third of nine Jackson children and was a background singer who played guitar in the band, according to Post-Tribune archives. Tito Jackson repeatedly returned to Gary and supported Melton's mayoral campaign, saying he would return the city to the vibrant community he grew up in. Grammy-award winning vocalist Deniece Williams will host the event on Aug. 30. Other performers will include rapper Freddie Gibbs, DJ Kid Capri and Edward Hollis, a nationally recognized Michael Jackson impersonator, according to the city. Jackie and Marlon Jackson both acknowledged in the release how important Gary is to their family, saying that the Jackson 5 got its start in the city. Marlon Jackson called it a blessing to return and celebrate with people who knew the family before its fame. 'Coming back to 2300 Jackson Street is always deeply emotional for me,' Jackie Jackson said. 'This is where it all started for the Jackson 5, and I have so many memories here. To see Gary celebrating our family's legacy and our roots in this very neighborhood means the world to us.' The celebration comes just about two months after a new mural of the Jackson 5 was installed in Gary. East Chicago artist Felix Maldonado painted the mural, which was sponsored by Karren and Pat Lee and Tom and Sylvia Collins. The mural is located on the north side of the Vogue Cleaners building at 610 S. Lake St. in the city's Miller neighborhood, according to Post-Tribune archives. The art replaces a previous one that was located on Lake Street and removed in 2018 because of deterioration. 'The Jackson family's music helped define a generation — and it all started right here in Gary,' Maldonado said in a news release. 'I wanted this new mural to feel alive, so that people can connect with the joy and pride this city feels for them. It's not just art — it's a celebration of legacy.'
