Arts & Entertainment
Ravinia Festival Announces 2026 Summer Lineup: Paul Simon, Gladys Knight, Chance the Rapper and More
(Courtesy of Ravinia)
Ravinia Festival released its summer festival lineup, with performers such as Paul Simon, Chance the Rapper, Gladys Knight, Ricky Martin, Brandi Carlile and more.
The outdoor music festival in Highland Park runs from June to September.
Other announced artists include: Kool & The Gang, Alabama Shakes, Los Tigres del Norte, St. Vincent, Rod Stewart, Ziggy Marley, Deep Purple, Billy Idol, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Jacob Collier, Hugh Jackman, Alabama, Bonnie Raitt, Brian McKnight, Emmylou Harris and Ray LaMontagne.
The full summer lineup can be found on Ravinia’s website.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will also be returning for the 90th anniversary of its Ravinia residency, performing six programs under Ravinia chief conductor Marin Alsop. A grand reopening concert will be held July 11 with Yunchan Lim playing Ravel’s “Piano Concerto in G Major” and an appearance by rapper and flutist Lizzo.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä will make his Ravinia debut in August, conducting Strauss’ “Alpine Symphony” and Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.”
The festival will showcase its newly redesigned Hunter Pavilion venue this summer. The privately funded $75 million renovation includes a bigger stage with a new acoustic shell for orchestral performances and new seating with increased accessibility, along with improvements to the audio and lighting system and production facilities, according to a news release.
“The grand opening of the Hunter Pavilion marks a historic milestone for Ravinia,” Ravinia Festival President and CEO Jeffrey Haydon said in a statement. “We are finding that the pavilion’s enhanced acoustics and sophisticated production capabilities are a powerful draw for world-class talent eager to perform in a venue that doesn’t just host music but creates an atmosphere that leaves both artists and audiences equally inspired.”
Future phases of Ravinia’s renovation, leading up to its 125th anniversary celebration in 2029, include structural restoration and enhanced production capabilities of the historic Martin Theatre, a new outdoor performance space to replace the modified Carousel Stage and renovations to Bennett Gordon Hall, according to a news release.
Festival tickets for this summer go on sale to the public April 23.
WTTW News arts coverage is supported by the JCS Arts, Health & Education Fund of the DuPage Foundation.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
