Ravinia Festival in Highland Park Reveals its 2026 Schedule

By: Stephanie Wylie 04/17/2026

More than 90 concerts. More than 50 artist debuts. A newly completed Hunter Pavilion — a once-in-a-generation renovation honoring Maxine and Thomas B. Hunter III — that promises state-of-the-art acoustics and production capabilities inside the beloved Prairie School park. And a roster of performers that spans hip-hop royalty and Welsh knighthood, punk iconoclasts and neo-soul visionaries, West Coast rap legends and New Orleans jazz masters.

What follows is a performance-by-performance look at the season's featured headliners — the familiar faces returning in new chapters, and the first-timers arriving on a stage now worthy of their full attention.

Your Ravinia Festival ticket unlocks more than just incredible music; it also grants you complimentary MetraRail access to the venue.

Billy Idol (July 12)

Billy Idol on stage performing

He never really left, but this summer, Billy Idol is unmistakably back, bleached-blond hair, rebel sneer and all, bringing his nearly 50-year catalog to the Ravinia stage. The power chord anthems that made him a chart-topping MTV fixture: "Rebel Yell," "White Wedding," "Dancing With Myself," remain as propulsive as ever. His return to touring marks what the artist himself frames as a chance to "reconnect with audiences," not as a nostalgia act, but as a living link between punk's basement-born origins and the arenas where it eventually conquered. Ravinia audiences will find a showperson, still capable of making a Sunday evening feel like a Saturday night in 1982.

Harry Connick Jr. (July 15)

Harry Connick Jr. returns to Ravinia this summer carrying with him the influence of the city where his artistry was born: New Orleans. A Grammy and Emmy Award winner, Connick began performing as a pianist and vocalist at the age of five and studied under jazz legends James Booker and Ellis Marsalis. With 30 million albums sold and 32 studio records to his name, his discography ranges from the beloved "When Harry Met Sally" soundtrack to the Grammy-nominated "True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter," a project he also wrote and directed for Broadway. His evening at Ravinia promises jazz standards, big-band classics and the warmth and charisma of a performer at home on Broadway, primetime television and the Hollywood screen. Connick remains one of the most complete entertainers of his generation, and one of the most compelling live acts on any stage.

Paul Simon (July 17)

Few artists arrive at Ravinia carrying the weight of nearly seven decades of artistry. Still, Paul Simon, fresh from his Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards, celebrated as "one of music's great storytellers." The evening features two acts: Simon first performs his Grammy-nominated, 33-minute composition, "Seven Psalms," without interruption, then follows it with a career-spanning set. Hits like "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "The Sound of Silence" and "Graceland" anchor the second set. For those lucky enough to be on the Ravinia lawn this summer, concertgoers will experience a poet of American life.

Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band (July 28)

Jimmy Buffett may have passed away in 2023, but he left behind one clear directive: keep the party going. Led by 10-time CMA Musician of the Year and Grammy-nominated Mac McAnally, the Coral Reefer Band has carried forward more than five decades of salty-air songwriting. The evening opens with the Docksiders, led by three-time Grammy nominee Kevin Sucher, offering the soft-rock sounds of Yacht Rock circa 1981. Together, the two acts make a beautiful tribute to the work Buffett built, beginning in 1973: it was never merely a catalog of songs but a full-scale state of mind. Ravinia audiences looking for a midsummer evening of carefree good times, the island is still open for business.

Chance the rapper (aug. 8)

Chance the Rapper performing

This summer, Chance the Rapper steps onto the Ravinia stage for the first time, performing in the city that has shaped his art, his activism and his community. His 2016 album "Coloring Book" made Grammy history as the first streaming-only release to win in a major category. Now he arrives with "STAR LINE", a project that NPR describes as "a roving pilgrimage bringing the rapper back home — to Chicago, to family and friends, to gun violence, to the church, to face the man in the mirror." The theme of home looms large over the performance; Chance is not merely visiting Ravinia, he is performing for the city that made him.

Hugh Jackman (Aug. 9)

Hugh Jackman makes his Ravinia debut with the Chicago Philharmonic. Before Wolverine made him a global film icon, Jackman was a theater man, and this evening marks his return to those roots: a performance equal parts concert and celebration, drawing on Broadway triumphs and the full range of a career that earned him Tony, Emmy and Grammy honors. Jackman is a true triple threat: an actor, singer and dancer. The renovated Hunter Pavilion provides a unique backdrop for an evening that promises to be among the season's most visually and musically stunning, reminding us that the best musical theater isn't confined to Broadway.

Ricky Martin (Aug. 20)

Ricky Martin arrives at Ravinia with the energy of his surprise appearance at Super Bowl LX's Halftime Show earlier this year. A reminder that the performer who lit up the 1998 Grammy stage with "La Copa de la Vida" has never stopped being one of the most electrifying live acts. With more than 70 million records sold, 95 Platinum and 40 Gold certifications worldwide, and a career that began at age 12, Martin brings a rare combination of pop and emotional depth to every performance. His 1999 crossover smash "Livin' La Vida Loca" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and became a cultural phenomenon that redefined the reach of Latin music in the American mainstream. For Ravinia audiences, his debut promises an evening of dance-floor anthems, heartfelt ballads and the kind of showmanship that reminds a crowd why they came out in the first place.

Deep Purple with special guest Kansas (Aug. 25)

When Deep Purple and Kansas share a bill, the evening becomes a masterclass of classic rock. Deep Purple, formed in 1968 and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, has sold more than 100 million albums. Kansas, the self-described "garage band" from Topeka, first discovered in 1974, has sold more than 30 million albums and placed "Carry On Wayward Son" among the five most-played songs in classic rock radio history. Together, the two bands represent a combined century of touring and recording. This performance is a rare opportunity to witness two of rock's most enduring institutions on a single evening.

Brandi Carlile (Aug. 26)

After years of celebrated creative partnerships with Joni Mitchell and Elton John, Brandi Carlile has turned inward, and the result is "Returning to Myself." The record finds Carlile examining her own journey with raw emotional honesty and soaring vocal power. Carlile is a performer whose influence now extends well beyond her own discography. Through her Looking Out Foundation, she has raised more than $8 million for grassroots causes. This summer, she delivers an evening of anthems from one of the most compelling American artists performing today.

Kool and the Gang with special guest Morris Day and the Time (AUG. 27)

Kool & the Gang make their Ravinia debut this summer with a resume that includes a 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, 9 Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums. Having performed continuously longer than any R&B group in history, the ensemble made famous by popular hits like "Celebration," "Cherish," "Jungle Boogie" and "Summer Madness." Opening the evening is Morris Day, the irreplaceable frontman of the Time. This funk band appeared in Purple Rain and whose hits "Jungle Love," "The Bird," and "Get It Up" remain true classics. It is an evening designed for celebration, under an open sky, and it will be nearly impossible to remain seated for any of it.

Miranda Lambert (Aug. 30)

Miranda Lambert Performing while holding a guitar

NPR called Miranda Lambert "the most riveting country star of her generation." The evidence is difficult to argue with: seven No. 1 solo albums, 10 No. 1 radio singles, more than 80 prestigious awards, a record as the most-decorated artist in Academy of Country Music history and more. Her recent single, "A Song to Sing," with Chris Stapleton, delivered her biggest streaming debut to date. Offstage, she is a label co-founder, bestselling author, restaurant owner and the driving force behind MuttNation, a foundation that has raised more than $11 million for animal rescue causes. Lambert arrives as an artist with a fearless conviction and an unapologetically bold creative identity. A Miranda Lambert concert is not just country music, but an evening of storytelling, grit and high-octane Texas soul.

Snoop Dogg (Sept. 4)

Snoop Dogg arrives at Ravinia on the momentum of his 22nd studio album, "Ten Til Midnight," released in April alongside an accompanying short film. The latest chapter in a career that began with back-to-back-to-back Billboard No. 1, multi-platinum albums in the 1990s and has never really slowed down. Discovered by Dr. Dre in 1992 and immediately launched into superstardom with top-10 debut singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin and Juice," Snoop has since expanded into one of the entertainment industry's most versatile forces: a 16-time Grammy-nominated rapper, actor, record producer, DJ and businessman. At Ravinia, a venue making its introduction to the Long Beach legend, Snoop Dogg delivers three decades of his West Coast catalog.

Rod Stewart (Sept. 5)

Rod Stewart is still having the time of his life, which is the paradox of his "One Last Time" farewell tour. Appearing alongside special guest Richard Marx, the Welsh-born rock icon brings six decades of hits to the stage. Experience the voice that made "Maggie May" a generational touchstone and Every Picture Tells a Story one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Stewart arrives with what an 81-year career earns: a performer who has outlasted every trend, delivering greatest hits, deep cuts and swing classics. The farewell tour is its own tribute to a performer who spent decades proving that while the shows may end, the influence is permanent.

Erykah Badu (Sept. 10)

Erykah Badu arrived in 1997 with "On & On" and the multi-platinum debut "Baduizm," winning Grammy Awards for both and establishing herself as a new voice in neo-soul. Named Billboard Women In Music's Icon Award recipient in 2025, Badu has spent the past year collaborating with prolific rap producer The Alchemist on "Abi & Alan." Her live performances have long been celebrated for their intensity and rhythm. In a season filled with legends, Badu stands apart.

Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation (Sept. 17)

Ziggy Marley at One Love movie premiere

Ziggy Marley has spent close to 40 years carving a musical identity that stands on its own terms, infusing reggae with funk, blues and rock in songs that address environmental awareness, empowerment and social injustice. His new album "Brightside" was co-produced with brother Stephen Marley and recorded with collaborators including Trombone Shorty, Sheila E. and Jake Shimabukuro. An eight-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, activist and humanitarian, Marley brings to every performance the authority of a seasoned artist. Opening the evening is Thievery Corporation, the Washington, D.C.-based duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, whose hypnotic blend of bossa nova, dub, trip-hop and global influences has made them a truly distinctive act. Together, these artists frame an evening of immersive, globe-spanning sound.

Tom Jones (Sept. 18)

Sir Tom Jones is 83 years old and giving some of the finest performances of a six-decade career. Having sold more than 100 million records and placed "It's Not Unusual," "What's New Pussycat?" and "Delilah," Jones has spent the past decade recording his album "Surrounded By Time," "Long Lost Suitcase," "Spirit In The Room" and "Praise & Blame," and collaborating with artists from Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to Ed Sheeran and Dolly Parton. Audiences will hear what it sounds like when a genuine legend arrives at a stage.

MARTINA MCBRIDE (SEPT. 19)

Martina McBride built her country music career on songs that refused to look away from difficulty. A multiple-time winner of the Country Music Association Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, McBride has sold more than 14 million albums over the course of her career. With songs like "This One's for the Girls" and "In My Daughter's Eyes," and a catalog of emotional ballads, McBride promises a performance that is not only memorable but deeply resonant. She arrives with a voice that, after decades of shining a light on stories that matter, retains the power to make a crowd fall silent.