Ravinia Festival Assn

Here is a great place to see a live show and have a picnic at the same time. They used to have mostly Classical concerts here but in recent years that has changed. As well as Classical they now have Rock, Blues, Alt & Pop here. They are bringing in a new crowd and making more $. Maybe it was just getting too pretentious even for them with the Classical crowd. I respect and appreciate Classical music but some of the people were (are) like Frasier & Niles Crane ( from the TV show Frasier) here showing up with $200 bottles of wine and brie in their picnic basket; please! Let's Rock this place and show them how to loosen up. Los Lonely Boys will be rockin' this place next month! Woooh! more

Ravinia is one of the Chicagoland treasures I most enjoy. Much like Wolf Trap in the Washington, DC, area, this musical setting offers a covered outdoor theatre with seating on the grass for a minimal price. Bring your picnic, and enjoy the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, jazz, blues, rock, opera, musicals, or the ballet. The artists performing here are top notch, from Yo Yo Ma to Hootie and the Blowfish to Wynton Marsallis. I suggest paying extra to sit in the pavilion for dance, opera, or musicals. Otherwise, it's all lawn for me. Specified trains leave downtown Chicago (stopping in Evanston along the way) to make the trip easier (timed for performances). And my best advice of all: the Chicago area libraries offer some free tickets to lawn seats throughout the summer. Check your local branch. More information can be found at www.ravinia.org. more

This is a place where everybody can find something they to enjoy here. It is a very enjoyable place to go, especially in the summer, because you can sit ouside. The tickets here are pretty cheap, you can bring your own food, and enjoy whatever concert is up for that day. Be sure to check out their website for updates on upcoming concerts and ticketing information. more