TRC Grand Welcoming & Community Marketplace
Historic Former Wabash YMCA · September 12, 2026
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Free & Open to All
Bronzeville's most storied building opens its doors — history exhibits, community vendors, and a future taking shape.
Join us in September for our Grand Welcoming event, and keep coming back as TRC hosts the marketplace through summer 2027.
TRC’s quarterly marketplace celebrates local businesses, culture, and community connection.
About the Grand Welcoming
Built in 1913, the Wabash YMCA was the civic heart of Bronzeville during the Great Migration — a gathering place for young men arriving in Chicago seeking connection, opportunity, and community.
It was here, in 1926, that Carter G. Woodson and his peers conceived what would become Black History Month. For over a century, this building has held that story.
This September, TRC opens its doors to begin sharing it. Saturday, September 12 marks the Grand Welcoming — a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, and a milestone in our construction progress as we work toward reopening the Wabash Y as a community hub.
Alongside 15+ community-owned marketplace vendors, visitors will have the first opportunity to see TRC's inaugural history education exhibits, developed with support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and designed for K–12 students and the wider community.
Date
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location
3763 S Wabash Avenue, Chicago, IL 60653
Admission
Free and open to the community
Parking
Street parking available
Accessibility
Ramp and elevator
The 2026-27 Marketplace Series
Every market is held at the historic former Wabash YMCA, 3763 S Wabash Avenue in Bronzeville
Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, free and open to the public
Homecoming
Sept. 12, 2026
Gifted
Dec. 12, 2026
Rooted & Rising
March 14, 2027
Summertime Chi
June 13, 2027
Vendors - Join the Community Marketplace
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Vendors - Join the Community Marketplace *
The TRC Community Marketplace is a curated gathering of community-owned vendors at the historic former Wabash YMCA — and the Grand Welcoming on September 12 is just the beginning.
We're launching a quarterly series running through August 2027, and we want vendors who are rooted in their craft and invested in Bronzeville to grow with us season after season. We limit duplication within categories and promote every vendor before, during, and after each market.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Submitting does not guarantee acceptance.
Questions? Email marketplace@trcwabash.org
Sponsor the Grand Welcoming & Marketplace Series
Your sponsorship is more than a name on a banner — it's a founding investment in the revival of one of Bronzeville's most significant historic buildings and a “welcome back” to the community it has always served.
Sponsors are recognized across the full 2026–27 Community Marketplace series (through August 2027), not just the September 12 launch. As the series grows, so does your organization's presence. More details included below.
Sponsorship commitments are requested by August 14, 2026.
Presenting $10,000
Exclusive presenting partner recognition across all series communications
Premier signage placement
Complimentary vendor table
Year-round logo on all materials
Lead $5,000
Logo on all series marketing Signage at all quarterly markets
Complimentary vendor table
Partner engagement invitations
Community $2,500
Signage at September event Logo on select series materials
Social media recognition
Website listing
Supporting $1,000
Signage at September event
Logo on event marketing
Social media recognition
Website listing
Questions? Contact Elizabeth Startz at estartz@trcwabash.org or 773-924-9270 ext. 104. Deadline: August 14, 2026
Support the Wabash Y
Can't make it? You can still be part of the story.
Not everyone can be in the room on September 12 — but everyone can be part of what we're building. \
Whether you're joining us from across the country, or simply want to support the revival of the Wabash Y beyond the event, your gift makes a difference.
Donations to TRC directly support projects and programming including:
• The ongoing restoration of the historic Wabash Y
• History education exhibits and curriculum for K–12 students
• Supportive housing and services for TRC residents
Every gift — at any level — is a stake in this building's next chapter.