Ravinia Festival’s 2026 season goes on sale Thursday, April 23 at 8 a.m. CT at Ravinia.org, and the lineup is one of the strongest the Highland Park institution has assembled in years. Over 90 performances run from June through September, spanning pop, rock, classical, jazz, Latin, country, hip-hop, and family programming across six distinct venues. High demand is expected, and some shows will sell out fast. Tickets onsale here.
The headliners cover serious ground. Paul Simon plays two nights on July 17 and 18. Brandi Carlile, Rod Stewart, Bonnie Raitt, Chance the Rapper, Miranda Lambert, Alabama Shakes, and Ziggy Marley are all on the bill, alongside newly added shows from Snoop Dogg on September 4 and Erykah Badu on September 10. Ricky Martin makes his highly anticipated Ravinia debut on August 20, and Hugh Jackman performs with the Chicago Philharmonic on August 9.
The 2026 season also marks a historic milestone for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, celebrating its 90th summer residency at Ravinia. The Grand Opening Night on July 11 inaugurates the brand-new Hunter Pavilion, a state-of-the-art replacement venue with enhanced acoustics built as part of a $75 million renovation. Chief Conductor Marin Alsop leads the opening performance featuring pianist Yunchan Lim and Lizzo on flute. Jazz fans can look forward to Joe Bonamassa, Harry Connick Jr., and an International Jazz Day performance featuring John Clayton and Steve Wilson on April 26.
Ravinia is urging ticket buyers to prepare in advance. Log on to Ravinia.org just before 8 a.m. CT on Thursday, have your show selections and payment information ready before the queue opens, and note that buyers have only 20 minutes to complete their order once they gain access. Any listings visible before 8 a.m. are not part of the official on-sale inventory.