Ravinia Festival has dropped its full 2026 season schedule, and it is one of the strongest lineups the Highland Park institution has assembled in years. Running June through September across the festival’s 36-acre park, the season brings more than 90 concerts spanning rock, pop, jazz, classical, hip-hop, country, and family programming. Tickets go on sale to the public April 23 at Ravinia.org, with donors getting early access beginning March 17.
The season also marks the grand reopening of the redesigned Hunter Pavilion, rebuilt with a deeper stage, a new acoustic shell engineered for orchestral performance, and updated sound and lighting systems. President and CEO Jeffrey P. Haydon called it “a state-of-the-art venue” that draws world-class talent eager to perform in a space that goes beyond simply hosting music. The first artists to christen the new stage include Ricky Martin, Miranda Lambert, Alabama Shakes, and Rod Stewart.
The headliner list reads like a greatest-hits catalog of living legends and essential contemporary artists. Paul Simon plays two nights (July 17 and 18). Alabama Shakes return with special guest Liam Kazar on August 21. Bonnie Raitt takes the stage August 22, followed by Brandi Carlile on August 26. Chance the Rapper headlines August 8. Kool & The Gang bring Morris Day & The Time and ConFunkShun for what will be a full-on celebration on August 27.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra anchors the midsummer stretch with a six-week residency celebrating its 90th anniversary at Ravinia. Highlights include St. Vincent performing with the CSO and conductor Jules Buckley on July 25, Lizzo joining Marin Alsop and the orchestra on July 11, and CSO Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä making his Ravinia debut across two nights in August. Jacob Collier closes the season in the intimate Martin Theatre on September 23.
The full schedule runs deep with something for every corner of music, from Emmylou Harris and Graham Nash (July 26) to Deep Purple with Kansas (August 25), Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation (September 17), and Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (September 12). This is Ravinia at full strength.
2026 Ravinia Festival Concert Schedule:
June 3 | Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane (Martin Theatre)
June 4 | Stella Cole (Bennett Gordon Hall)
June 5 | Joshua Bell & Jeremy Denk (Martin Theatre)
June 6 & 7 | Wildflowers: Kurt Elling with Fred Hersch (Sandra K. Crown Theater)
June 7 | Alisa Weilerstein & Inon Barnatan (Martin Theatre)
July 11 | Lizzo & Yunchan Lim with CSO
July 12 | Billy Idol
July 14 | Squirrel Nut Zippers (Carousel Stage)
July 15 | Harry Connick Jr.
July 17 & 18 | Paul Simon
July 19 | María Dueñas with CSO
July 22 | Augustin Hadelich (Martin Theatre)
July 23 | CSO
July 24 | Laura Karpman with CSO
July 25 | St. Vincent with CSO, conductor Jules Buckley
July 26 | Chanticleer (Martin Theatre) / Emmylou Harris & Graham Nash
July 28 | Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band with special guest The Docksiders
July 29 | The Kody Norris Show (Carousel Stage)
July 31 | Carlos Simon with CSO
Aug. 1 | Emanuel Ax & John Williams with CSO / Laurie Berkner
Aug. 2 | Ted Sperling with CSO / Black Moon Trio (Sandra K. Crown Theater)
Aug. 4 | Magic City Hippies (Carousel Stage)
Aug. 5 | Danish String Quartet (Martin Theatre)
Aug. 6 & 7 | Klaus Mäkelä with CSO
Aug. 8 | Chance the Rapper / Black Moon Trio (Sandra K. Crown Theater)
Aug. 9 | Hugh Jackman with Chicago Philharmonic / Misha Dichter (Bennett Gordon Hall)
Aug. 11 | Brian McKnight & Gladys Knight
Aug. 12 | Joe Bonamassa
Aug. 13 | Quincy Jones Tribute with CSO, conductor Jules Buckley
Aug. 14 | Steve Hackman with CSO
Aug. 15 | moe. and Umphrey’s McGee / Okee Dokee Brothers (Carousel Stage)
Aug. 16 | CSO 90th Anniversary Tchaikovsky Evening / Frederica von Stade & Susan Graham (Bennett Gordon Hall)
Aug. 19 | Gregory Alan Isakov with Chicago Philharmonic
Aug. 20 | Ricky Martin
Aug. 21 | Alabama Shakes with special guest Liam Kazar
Aug. 22 | Bonnie Raitt / Divi Roxx Kids (Carousel Stage)
Aug. 23 | Grease Sing-Along
Aug. 25 | Deep Purple with special guest Kansas
Aug. 26 | Brandi Carlile
Aug. 27 | Kool & The Gang with special guests Morris Day & The Time and ConFunkShun
Aug. 28 | Alabama
Aug. 29 | Ray LaMontagne (Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour) with special guest The Weather Station / Dr. Seuss Goes to the Opera (Martin Theatre)
Aug. 30 | Miranda Lambert
Sept. 3 | Music of the Baroque with Dame Jane Glover
Sept. 5 | Rod Stewart with special guest Richard Marx / Karen Ouzounian (Sandra K. Crown Theater)
Sept. 6 | Squeeze with special guest Adam Ant / Olga Kern (Bennett Gordon Hall)
Sept. 12 | Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas with special guest Theo Lawrence
Sept. 13 | 10th Fiesta Ravinia: Los Tigres del Norte
Sept. 17 | Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation
Sept. 18 | Tom Jones
Sept. 19 | Martina McBride
Sept. 23 | Jacob Collier (Martin Theatre)