The park has been the site of many large civic events . It served as the staging ground for the city 's funeral procession for US President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 . In 1911 , the park hosted the major Chicago International Aviation Meet . In 1959 , to celebrate the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and a related International Trade Fair , Queen Elizabeth II , disembarked here from the Royal Yacht '' Britannia '' , giving the park 's " Queen 's Landing " its name . The park was the scene of clashes between Chicago Police and demonstrators during the 1968 Democratic National Convention . Pope John Paul II celebrated an outdoor mass to a large crowd here in 1979 . Championship celebrations were staged here for the Chicago Bulls during the 1990s , and the Chicago Blackhawks after winning the Stanley Cup in 2013 . The park was the location for President Barack Obama 's Election Day victory speech on the night of November 4 , 2008 . In 2015 , Grant Park hosted the first outdoor National Football League ( NFL ) draft and a related festival . The Chicago Cubs held their rally for their World Series Championship win on November 4 , 2016 with an estimated 5 million people attending the parade and event
1968 Democratic National Convention
1968 Democratic National Convention
Grant Park (Chicago)