Willie Nelson, Train, Gladys Knight and the real-life return of Ravinia

Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Concerts are making a comeback and Ravinia’s paving the way, just like it always has throughout 85 seasons as the oldest outdoor music festival in America.

With new President and CEO Jeffrey P. Haydon at the helm, the line-up spanning July 1 to September 26 is easily shaping up as one of the most diverse yet thanks to a full slate of pop, rock, R&B, jazz, country, Broadway, dance, and of course, classical.

In addition to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra taking up residence for a multitude of themed performances (led by Marin Alsop and seven guest conductors), there’s a constant stream of stand-alone highlights for virtually all music lovers of any age.

Artists making their venue debut include Brian McKnight (Jul. 30); Yacht Rock Revue (Jul. 31); The Infamous Stringdusters and Leftover Salmon (Aug. 20); King Crimson and The Zappa Band (Aug. 29), amongst many other notables.

As far as returning classics go, there’s Judy Collins and Madeleine Peyroux (Aug. 10); Willie Nelson & Family (Aug. 14); Gladys Knight (Aug. 18); The Beach Boys (Aug. 21 and 22); Train (Aug. 27 and 28); Black Violin and Blind Boys of Alabama (Sept. 11); Ben Folds with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra (Sept. 18) and Ziggy Marley (Sept. 19).

In keeping with COVID-19 precautions, the summer will begin with reduced capacity shows in a socially distanced setting (along with even more intimate Carousel Concerts), though there’s always the possibility of expansion as circumstances allow.

Even so, it’s a leap ahead from last year’s shuttered season, though at least the community was able to stay connected via RaviniaTV on the venue’s YouTube channel, which remains available and is worth a re-run.

Thankfully, the dates have been set for actual tickets to go on-sale, starting with an early crack for donors, followed by the general public on June 16 for shows between July 1 and August 15, then July 21 for all after August 15, so start browsing, dust off those world-class dining menus or picnic baskets and get ready for another summer under the stars!

For a complete list of upcoming Ravinia concerts, visit Ravinia.org.