Rahm Emanuel addresses the crowd at the Welles Park gazebo. 47th ward candidate Tom O'Donnell stands to his right. Photo by Chris Murphy.

Rahm Emanuel held a rally at Welles Park Saturday, addressing about 50-60 people and encouraging early voting at the nearby field house.

47th ward candidate Tom O’Donnell stood next to Emanuel, but did not address the crowd. Emanuel’s staff said their appearance together is not an endorsement of O’Donnell.

Emanuel has supported Ald. Gene Schulter and appeared at the kick-off of his re-election campaign in October. Last month Schulter decided not to seek re-election and threw his support behind O’Donnell.

People in the crowd were passing flyers for the other 47th ward aldermanic candidates.

Emanuel gave a brief, light-hearted speech at the Welles Park gazebo. Then Emanuel walked with the crowd to the doors of the Welles Park field house, shaking hands and holding babies along the way.

Emanuel continued walking on to 42N Latitude at 4500 N. Lincoln Ave., swarmed by cameras and reporters. Along the way, he spoke with Center Square Journal about some of his favorite places in the neighborhood from when he lived on Hermitage Avenue.

Emanuel said he and his wife Amy would often go to Glenn’s Diner for seafood regularly for “date night,” followed by a movie at the Davis Theatre. He endorsed “neighborhood institution” Beans and Bagels for the best coffee.

He says he has spent plenty of summer days at Welles Park and is especially a fan of the Old Town School of Folk Music’s annual Folk & Roots Festival, which takes place at the park in July and features musicians from all over the world.

Photos by Chris Murphy.

Tags: 42n latitude, 47th Ward, ald. gene schulter, beans and bagels, chris murphy photography, Davis Theater, election 2011, february elections, Folk and Roots Festival, gazebo, glenn's diner, mayoral candidate, municipal election, Old Town School of Folk Music, Rahm Emanuel, Tom O'Donnell, Welles Park