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Women's March Do's & Don'ts: Pack Lunch, Bring ID, Don't Try To Sell Stuff

By  Patty Wetli David Matthews and Tanveer Ali | January 19, 2017 6:15am | Updated on January 20, 2017 6:48pm

 Check out a quick list of do's and don'ts for Saturday's Women's March in Chicago.
Check out a quick list of do's and don'ts for Saturday's Women's March in Chicago.
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DNAinfo/Kelly Bauer (File)

DOWNTOWN — Whether Saturday's Women's March in Chicago is someone's first rally or 101st, there are things every one of the expected 50,000-plus participants should be aware of in advance.

Here's a quick list of do's and don'ts, along with updated logistics, as organizers have shifted the staging to accommodate the larger crowd:

• Don't camp out Friday. The rally site, centered at on Columbus Drive at Jackson Boulevard, doesn't open until 8:30 a.m. Saturday. The main stage will face south on Columbus. A Jumbotron will be set up further south on Columbus.

• Do enter the rally via Balbo or Congress Parkway. There will NOT be an access point at Jackson. Drop-off at Columbus and Monroe is for disabled attendees only, organizers stressed.

• Backpacks are OK, according to organizers. With the rally lasting from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., bringing snacks and drinks is a good idea. Make sure all valuables are secure.

• If you didn't bring lunch, organizers said food trucks supporting the march will be parked nearby. So do bring cash or a credit card. 

• Bring a photo ID, just in case. Identification will be required as collateral to obtain assistive listening devices, for example.

• Hand-held signs are preferable. Leave wooden or metal sign holders at home.

• Children are welcome, but organizers note that some signs or language may be inappropriate for youngsters. A "family area" has been set aside to the east of the main stage for families who prefer to keep their children out of the fray. Enter at Columbus and Monroe, where volunteers will direct participants to the family area.

• Do bring a portable phone charger, if you have one. Otherwise you may have to leave the rally to find a plug indoors.

• Do use the bathrooms near the Jay Pritzker Pavilion off Randolph Street in Millennium Park. At least if you're looking to go for free. 

• Do take public transportation if possible. The CTA has announced it will run longer trains Saturday, 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the Blue, Brown, Green and Orange lines to accommodate the anticipated increase in ridership. For those who drive, be aware that spaces in nearby parking garages are already being booked in advance

• Don't try to use this as an opportunity to sell T-shirts, jewelry, buttons, crafts — or anything. Hand stuff out for free if you feel so compelled — and have any takers — but no outside sales are allowed.

Check map below for important logistics information. The map was updated Friday:

[Women's March on Chicago]

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