Ravinia Festival 2026: Over 90 concerts featuring Ricky Martin and Hugh Jackman — here’s the full schedule

The highly awaited 2026 Ravinia Music Festival in suburban Chicago has revealed its complete summer lineup, promising an unforgettable season of live performances. This year, the festival features over 100 concerts across jazz, blues, rock, pop, country, Latin, classical, and family programming. Big-name performers like Paul Simon, Brandi Carlile, Ricky Martin, Chance the Rapper, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Miranda Lambert, Alabama Shakes, and Hugh Jackman are set to take the stage, many of whom are appearing at Ravinia for the first time.

Indoor concerts will start in June, while the complete summer season introduces in July and continues through September. A highlight of 2026 is the updated and redesigned Hunter Pavilion, a state-of-the-art venue created to improve acoustics and production capabilities for both artists and audiences.

Jazz and Blues Highlights

• June 3 – Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane
  
• June 4 – Stella Cole
  
• June 6 & 7 – Wildflowers: Kurt Elling with Fred Hersch
  
• July 14 – Squirrel Nut Zippers
  
• July 15 – Harry Connick Jr.
  
• August 12 – Joe Bonamassa
  
  
  

Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap, Latin, and Reggae Highlights

• July 12 – Billy Idol
  
• July 28 – Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band with special guest The Docksiders
  
• August 4 – Magic City Hippies
  
• August 8 – Chance the Rapper
  
• August 11 – Brian McKnight & Gladys Knight
  
• August 20 – Ricky Martin
  
• August 27 – Kool & The Gang with special guests Morris Day & The Time and ConFunkShun
  
• September 5 – Rod Stewart with Richard Marx
  
• September 13 – 10th Fiesta Ravinia: Los Tigres del Norte
  
• September 17 – Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation
  
• September 18 – Tom Jones
  
  
  

Rock, Indie, Country, and Folk Highlights

• July 17 & 18 – Paul Simon
  
• July 26 – Emmylou Harris & Graham Nash
  
• July 29 – The Kody Norris Show
  
• August 15 – moe. and Umphrey’s McGee
  
• August 21 – Alabama Shakes with Liam Kazar
  
• August 22 – Bonnie Raitt
  
• August 25 – Deep Purple with Kansas
  
• August 26 – Brandi Carlile
  
• August 28 – Alabama
  
• August 29 – Ray LaMontagne with The Weather Station
  
• August 30 – Miranda Lambert
  
• September 6 – Squeeze with Adam Ant
  
• September 12 – Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas and Theo Lawrence
  
• September 19 – Martina McBride
  
  
  

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The CSO’s yearly six-week residency runs July 11 through August 16, showcasing Marin Alsop and distinguished guest conductors. Highlights are:

• July 11 – Yunchan Lim joins CSO for Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major with Lizzo on flute
  
• July 16 & 18 – James Conlon leads Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio
  
• July 19 – María Dueñas debuts with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto
  
• July 23 – Mahler’s Sixth Symphony conducted by Marin Alsop
  
• July 24 – Alsop and Emmy-winning composer Laura Karpman spotlight original orchestral music for screen storytelling
  
• July 25 – Six-time Grammy winner St. Vincent joins the CSO with Jules Buckley
  
• July 31 – Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony and Carlos Simon’s Good News Mass
  
• August 1 – Pianist Emanuel Ax joins CSO for John Williams’ new concerto
  
• August 2 – Ted Sperling leads selections of classic and contemporary songs
  
• August 6 & 7 – CSO Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä leads Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Stravinsky’s The Firebird
  
• August 13 & 14 – Tribute to Quincy Jones and a Brahms/Radiohead fusion concert
  
• August 16 – CSO concludes 90th residency with an all-Tchaikovsky evening
  
  
  

Family Programming and Film

Ravinia also provides performances for children and families:

• August 1 – Laurie Berkner
  
• August 8 – Black Moon Trio: “The Great Lakes”
  
• August 15 – Okee Dokee Brothers
  
• August 22 – Divi Roxx Kids
  
• August 23 – Grease Sing-Along
  
• August 29 – JAM Orchestra: Dr. Seuss Goes to the Opera
  
  
  

Ticket Details

Tickets are available starting April 23 at Ravinia.org, with donors granted early access beginning March 17.

With over 90 concerts, a refreshed Hunter Pavilion, and a blend of iconic and emerging artists, the 2026 Ravinia Festival promises an unmatched summer of music for audiences of all ages.

FAQs

Q1: What is the Ravinia Festival?
The Ravinia Festival is a summer music festival in suburban Chicago featuring live performances across multiple genres. It includes both headliner concerts and family programming.

Q2: When does the 2026 festival start?
Indoor concerts begin in June, with the main summer season starting in July. Events continue through September.