Ravinia Festival

Amazing concerts but traffic and parking are a nightmare. Lawn is also extremely overcrowded and you will not see the stage. Lawn is great to picnic and hear music on speakers. Plan to leave about 3 hours early to park in the general parking lot and get a good lawn seat for general admission. Left an hour and a half early for a popular show and ended up sitting in traffic for an hour on Lake Cook to get to Green Bay. By then the general parking lot was full and we were redirected to downtown Highland Park to park in a garage near the train station and wait in a huge line for the shuttle to the venue. By the time we got there, there was barely any space on the lawn left. Beautiful grounds. If you have pavilion tickets it’s amazing. Wish the traffic and parking was handled better.

Amazing venue for summer concerts! Lawn seats are definitely the way to go!!!Read poor reviews about parking but we had no problem getting in and out of the onsite lot. Will definitely go again!

What a great place to go to. We were at Ravinia tonight for a marvelous outdoor experience. We were there for a Sound of Music movie and sing along. We brought our picnic and set up our blanket on the lawn and had a great time. The audience participation was perfect. There was food and drinks available to purchase if you didn't bring your own. Some people got fancy with candles and table clothes on their tables filled with all sorts of food. We saw charcuterie boards to pasta and salads. People brought all sorts of things. The whole place is a real experience. On such a beautiful night... this would be a great choice for families or individuals to set up their "picnic" for the show. By the way, we rented folding chairs and they also had tables for rent. You can also ask for a wheelchair service when you get to the front gate. They will take you to wherever you plan to sit and then they will come back to bring you back to the parking lot after the show. Very clean and impressive. We will be back to Ravinia soon. Thanks

Best venue for outdoor concerts. What I love the most is the flexibility to bring your own drinks and food and have a great picnic with friends and family prior to concert time. Or if you want, you can also purchase food from all participating vendirs!

Drove from downtown to here for Lang Lang and CSO performance. Driving is not recommended! Traffic couldn’t be more terrible! Better to take the train. Heard it is for free if you have the tickets. But there park N ride service was efficient. Service was nice. The concert itself was awesome!

While I sometimes disagree with how the current management goes about treating the local community in Highland Park, the Ravinia Festival confines itself is an absolute slice of heaven. It’s not your traditional music venue, as the best seats in the house are located within the vast lawn area, in my opinion. There, you have the flexibility to walk around, bring your own seating, food and beverages, and can simply enjoy the night at your own pace. The sound isn’t always the best, but the diverse palette of performers, the people-watching, and the ability to move around freely make every night a magical experience. So much so in fact, that some of the best shows I’ve ever seen have been with artists I wasn’t familiar with at the start of the event! Just absorbing the good vibes and energy surrounding you can make each night one to remember. Like most venues, the food and beverage are a tad bit overpriced, but if you plan properly, you can bring anything you need a long as you have your ticket!

Wow! Very impressed with this venue. The park is beautiful, the buildings are modern, the restrooms are super clean! Concert goers pulled out all the stops & had elaborate picnic set ups with real candles, lights & comfy chairs. You can bring whatever food you want. Come early to stake a spot as close to the stage as possible. We sat to the far right of the pavilion very close to the restrooms & got a great view of Janel Monae. As far as parking, I did some research on the best parking option & I loved the free park & ride at highland park metra stop. There were tons of volunteers to direct me where to park & tons of pace buses that take you back & forth the 2 miles it takes to get to the venue. 5 minute bus ride & then ten minute walk to the far east side of the stage. If you don’t want to bring tables & chairs, they rent them out. There’s also some food stalls, a gift shop & a bar or two. Can’t wait to go back!

Ravinia Festival is hands down one of the best summer experiences in the Chicago area. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxed and inviting—whether you're there with friends, a date, or your whole family, it feels like the perfect place to unwind and enjoy great music outdoors. The grounds are beautifully maintained and exceptionally clean, with a layout that’s both spacious and organized. It’s easy to find your way around, set up your picnic, and settle in for the evening without stress. The staff does a fantastic job keeping everything running smoothly, from entry to food service to parking. What sets Ravinia apart is how family-friendly and inclusive it is. Kids can play on the lawn, adults can sip wine under the stars, and everyone is welcome. It’s an experience that feels both elevated and completely approachable—like a neighborhood block party set to a world-class soundtrack. Highly recommended for anyone looking to make summer memories in a truly special setting!

I like Ravinia for live music, once you get inside. The challenging parts are getting here, getting parked, walking inside with all your stuff and finding a place to setup on the lawn. Yes, there is VIP experience and parking available, but the typical experience is anything but easy. On my last visit, we stayed in a nearby hotel and took a shared ride in. The challenge? Getting out. Expect a half a mile walk to the Braeside station to get a shared ride back after the concert, unless you are up for leaving before the last 30 minutes of a show. There's plenty of staff here walking around and keeping things safe but some of the staff seem cranky and short when asking them questions. Some people are first-time attendees so maybe a little more patience is needed. To me, it's just common courtesy. One man at the North Gate was very rude. I do appreciate that the sound quality is great around the venue and the big screen on the lawn is nice.

One of the most unique concert venues around. It's located in Highland Park and they have a variety of options as far as tickets: general admission lawn, reserved lawn and reserved pavilion. What's unique about Ravinia is you can bring in your own drinks, food, blankets & chairs. Basically you can setup picnic style anywhere in the lawn. They also have a food court, beer venders and lawn chair/table rentals, so if you want to just show up, everything you'd want can be provided. As far as getting there, I'd recommend the Metra which is included with your ticket purchases. You can get off at Ravinia Park or Braeside. There is a parking lot, but you do have to get there early to get a spot. If the main lot is full, they have shuttle service from other local locations. Grab a crew, plan a picnic and enjoy live music under the stars!

Ravinia - 3 stars: So, this was not a good outing for us. We have been going to Ravinia since before YELP started leading the review business, but it had been a long time for us to revisit Ravinia and we think a lot has changed. We were going to see CHICAGO perform on July 5th, and we knew it would be a busy sold-out event ... especially with the July 4th weekend. The Ravinia website always notes that people should show up early, and we tried. The parking lot wouldn't open until 5 pm. The show was set to start at 7 pm. We left home at 3:10 pm for our 50 mile ride to Ravinia. We got to about Lake/Cook Road and the Edens Expressway (right by the Chicago Botanical Gardens and just a couple miles from Ravinia) at about 4:15 ... we made good time to there and figured we might have to wait awhile to get into the parking lot. Lake/Cook then turns into a single lane road and was a constant backup for those two miles or so left. But we paid our dues and inched our way to Green Bay Road by about 5:10, where we turned north for the last 1,000 feet or so to the parking lot ... once again inching out way and reaching the entrance at about 5:25. And at the entrance was an employee manning the signs that said the lot was full, and that we should continue south to reach the Metra lot where we could ride a bus back. We continued inching our way north on Green Bay to Clavey Road by 5:40, where we were supposed to turn east to the Metra lot a half-mile away. On reaching the intersection we saw that the turn and traffic were all backed up. Eastbound Clavey met Northbound and Southbound Green Bay to form a perfect snarl. Knowing that it would take another 20 to 30 minutes to reach the Metra lot, and that we'd have to bus it back ... we finally gave up. We knew that anything we carefully packed for our general admission lawn seats would have to be left in the car for the bus ride. So, in sum, big fail. Now at the risk of sounding like we just had a first-world problem, we have to take issue with Ravinia. They did absolutely nothing to help the traffic issues ... whether on their website or on the streets. Our problem wasn't with the Highland Park police ... it was with Ravinia. The website clearly states come early ... we did, but it made no difference. Inching our way for the last two miles or so for over an hour was useless ... Ravina should have provided for or paid for traffic control people. And arriving at a full-parking lot barely 25 minutes after it opened was a joke ... if you want us there early, then open the parking lot at 2:00 to even out the traffic flow. So, what are potential solutions? We think Ravinia overbooks its general admission lawn seats ... sitting in the grassy area is fun, but not so much when you have people sitting inches away on all sides ... it is just overfilled at the cost of generating a bit more money ... and a big reason for all the traffic. The parking lot requires a fee, which in and of itself doesn't bother us; but presell the parking tickets so if and when you get in the parking lot you don't just have another back up. Open up the lot much earlier to even out the arrival of cars ... we can sit for over an hour on Lake/Cook Road or sit for an hour in the parking lot and relax. And Ravinia could presell parking spaces to also even out the flow ... first come first served makes everyone jam up at the same time. All of these are things that Ravinia could work on. It appears that Ravinia has just focused on its interior, and lets everyone shift for themselves on the outside. If you can get in, it is still a great venue. While the lawn seating is overbooked and doesn't have to be so jammed, customers do have options ... you can get a ticket for the Pavilion, if Ravinia won't make lawn seating more reasonable. But keep in mind, for our visit, even if we had had Pavillion seats ... we wouldn't have been able to reach them because that doesn't get a customer a parking space. "Parking Perks" like a reserved space begin at the donation level of $5,000 per year ... Ravinia could offer reserved spaces for the lots that aren't reserved for major donors. Ravinia seems to be a victim of their own success ... with growth over the years it is now more of a jewel for the residents of Highland Park and major donors. The great unwashed either have to pick a less popular performance to visit, or take the CNW train into the park and deal with the unwieldiness of trying to pack in chairs and the like for a visit. Or, of course, if you have a bit of extra disposable income, you could rent a tarp, table, and chairs from Ravinia ... just one more revenue-producing business they have. Still a great 5-star venue, just needs some fine-tuning to deal with the 1-star difficulties.

It was not what it was 15 plus years ago. I say this because at least if you have lawn seats there were jumbo "trons" surrounding the venue for those that are seated in the lawn. Why pay money to only be able to hear from the lawn which would force you to go where the pavillon seats are to view the screens there? Might as well stay home and wait for it to appear on Youtube! And.... Why did Nas ONLY perform 60 minutes? It damn near take 60 mins to drive,park,shuttle, and find your pavillon seat? ​

Ridiculous, John legend was suppose to start at 7:30, 7:45,still waiting WTF Tired Of how pretentious it's become

This is our second time coming to a concert at Ravinia. We set up in the grass and truly have enjoyed our time there. The grounds are well maintained, staff has been very nice and helpful and the quality of the sound of the music is great. I appreciate the large screens that allow concert goers on the lawn to see the show as if they are front and center. The grab and go food is ok, but definitely not something I would get regularly. The prices are a bit high (as expected) and quality is sub-par. We tried the truffle burger and the nachos. The bun on the burger was stale, as were the chips in the nachos. The facilities have been clean and well maintained both times which is nice considering the amount of people that are on premises for the shows. Parking has been easy and overall a great experience at Ravinia. I highly recommend checking it out!

Al Green was a massive disappointment, albeit he's in his 80's. The concert was performed by his back up singers not him. Ravinia is over priced for an out door concert. $115 could've should've been spent elsewhere.

The traffic congestion is literally unbearable. After a Chicago concert it took us 2 hours to get out of the venue and to our car. The second concert, James Taylor, we could not even get to the venue the traffic was so congested and at a standstill. We were so frustrated we left and just went out to dinner nearby. Money wasted on tickets we did not even use. We came from Valparaiso Indiana and gave ourselves 5 hours to get to the concert and still we had to abandon our tickets/plans due to total frustration. Nancy Rotering get your act together and find a better way to manage this horrific traffic.

Had an amazing time with friends at Ravinia tonight! Tonights line up was TLC & Shaggy music, the picnic vibes, and the laughter under the stars made it a night to remember. We couldn't have asked for better company or a more perfect evening. Cheers to great times and even better memories!

This is a beautiful venue and we knew tonight's show would be crowded so we got here around 5pm to be able to park in the lot. I have been to Ravinia when the lot is full and it's a miserable experience to try to find a lot that isn't full. We have Pavilion tickets so we did not bring a basket and besides I could not believe how crowded the lawn was when we got here at 5 (the park opens at 5). I had tried to purchase premium lawn tickets but they sold out ahead of the Pavilion. We went to the Market and purchased chicken tinga tacos and a brisket dinner (see photos), then found a table in the shade and right now are enjoying our meal. The main act (Counting Crows) won't take the stage until about 8:30 pm so I feel we made a good decision in forgoing the crowded lawn and enjoying some snacks in the shade.

BEWARE of Another New online ticketing system at Ravinia. You get 40 minutes to do your online order but THEN when you PLACE your order you will get a weird pink box with %~^ etc and your order will NOT be placed and you will watch your basket finally get DUMPED while you are on the phone on hold with Ravinia for 30 minutes. Good Times. Otherwise nothing's changed probably. 2024 doesn't look like the strongest season. Price creep never ends out there, $235 for James Taylor??? But bathrooms are relatively clean and you must not have an issue with lines and crowds or you wouldn't be there. Free Metra ride with a CSO ticket is nice but what are you going to do for the Suburbs? Don't forget the two smaller theaters, Martin and Bennett Gordon Hall, cozier & cheaper. The Carousel productions can be intg too. Don't sit on the lawn if you want to hear the music over your neighbors regaling their wonderful trip to see Aunt Minnie in Vegas last year. Don't sit on the lawn if you want to SEE the music artists unless very close to stage. We recommend leaving the candelabras & wagon at home and backpack in with just enough to eat and drink, travel light. Have Fun.

Ravinia is such a cool place to go to a concert, it's more of an "experience" than a concert. We typically like to go with groups and get lawn tickets. I've never got tickets in the pavilion because I love the experience of hanging out on the lawn, lawn chairs, tables, food, drinks, hanging out, enjoying music and conversations. There aren't a lot of music venues I can think of where you get that atmosphere. I believe there are two main lawn areas(maybe 3). The lawn seating is first come first serve. So if you're going to the lawn, get there as early as you can to set up your area to hold it down. On bigger shows, most shows, it's going to be busy, so setting up early is really the most important tip. There are multiple restaurant and food options on site, which opens up options to different food, drinks, and snacks. A lot if not most groups will bring small tables and food to enjoy. You'll see some cool setups there. Ravinia has the sound setup dialed in. You can hear the concert clearly at almost any part of the venue. On most occasions they have huge screens set up in the front of each lawn section so you can see the concert too. I'm a big fan of going to concerts at Ravinia, We look at the concert lineup once they are out each year and plan at least a few shows per year. FYI, Ravinia is great for kids too, they do host events for kids as well.

Ravinia is great, but you need to know what you're getting into. The Pavillion is typical concert seating. Every seat has a pretty solid view. Definitely favor sitting near the center versus sitting close. The lawn gets you very little to no view (unless there is a screen on the lawn). So heads up on that. Definitely bring your own food and booze and picnic to watch the show. The party happens on the lawn so make sure you bring a bunch of food. And sit near a speaker, the sound is good, but it does vary a bit depending on your location. The tricky part of this is getting to Ravinia from the city. There is a Metra which if the schedule lines up, take that! However, if it doesn't (like on a Saturday or Sunday) it can be difficult to get to without a car, so just be aware of that. Enjoy!

The logistics at this place are a joke. Zero coordination across crappy parking accommodations. I do not recommend. If you don't show up two hours before parking opens, be prepared to sit in your car for nearly three hours.

This is a so-called veggie torta that has poblano queso, fresco pickled red onion black bean hummus on a roll. It sounds really good but it has zero flavor. There's barely any ingredients in there. The sandwich bread is soggy, nothing about this is is fresh and it's $14. I am absolutely horrified that Ravinia does not have any of its other restaurants open and nothing to offer other than this institutional, cafeteria style, old refrigerated sandwich food. Utterly pathetic and totally disappointing!

For such a small venue with big-time acts, Ravinia has been excellent! I've seen Kenny Loggins, and Daryl Hall on separate occasions here and both have been excellent and well managed. No serious traffic issues and excellent crowd co-ordination. Excellent location by the Metra which helps a lot! In terms of accessibility, and traffic management, I rank Ravinia among the best so far.

Definitely one of the must do activities for Chicago summers. Get there early, grab your friends, set up a picnic and enjoy music under the stars. If you get there early enough you can set up on the lawn and see the show from Your space. Else sneak up front and watch the show closer. Tickets are still affordable.

Located at Ravinia off Ravinia stop Metra, this venue is large and the area was packed with people on the lawn with the picnic baskets and chairs. The last time I saw her was at the Chicago Theater a few years back. In her 70s she looks lovely and young as ever. Her voice is still strong and her classic songs were fabulous. Her costumes were colorful and sparkly. She made many during the show. Natural 7 and her daughter opened for her. Metra gives Ravinia riders free rides during concerts. Parking has shuttles to drive people to their car areas. BTW the Pavillion doesn't allow food but it can be put to the side. Eat before coming because small chips are $5. There are other food options and a full restaurant.

Left early and figured we would have a few hours or more before the concert started.... Ended up waiting over 2 hours to drive 2 miles to get to the main lot ( really poor traffic handling)! We finally reached the gate only to find out it was full. Had to drive further... in traffic to find a place to park and then wait in line to take a shuttle back to the park. Knowing there would be no where to sit we gave up and went home. Definitely disappointing!!

We came here for a kid's music concert on a very hot august day. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time getting there because there is a TON of traffic once you get near by the venue. The parking itself was easy and they had lots of people to help direct. When it's time to leave I recommend dipping out 10-15 min early to beat the crowd. We paid a little extra for a reserved section on the grass. We had to pay for each person (including infants). The sound was excellent and they had a tv screen displaying the artist. The sections were spaced apart and gave kids enough room to dance and run around. The grounds are lovely. They also have food you can buy on site which was pretty tasty. We had guacamole and little tacos. Anyways, I'd recommend coming for late afternoon evening events as it's less likely you will be sitting in the heat. I also didn't get the memo about brining a lawn chair. I'd definitely bring one next time to be more comfortable!

Ravinia is a good venue for the Chicago Symphony, not as good for pop/Jazz/rock. When listening to music, the camera phone situation is almost intolerable. What's wrong with people, more interested in "proving" to their friends they went to a concert than actually respecting the musicians and listening to the performance. Many venues around town warn the audience not to do it. Ravinia doesn't care. Our most recent visit we decided to eat at the Tree Top restaurant. We were unaware it is a buffet. It is in my estimation the worst buffet I've ever eaten at. It is supposed to be "pan-asian" food. The food mostly inedible. For example, the Beef with Broccoli, a Chinese restaurant standard. "Beef" was shredded, not sliced, the broccoli was frozen - defrosted and grossly overcooked, and the sauce hideous. Even the rice was dry and overcooked. What a horrible experience! All for over $40 a person! Never again.

Such a great place to relax and listen to live music. The "sit back and observe" atmosphere is perfect for a summer night out. Even if it's not your favorite band, you'll enjoy the atmosphere. Chicago summers are the best and one of the best places to spend an evening is at Ravinia. It's a must every summer (or multiple times a summer if that's in your deck).

I've just moved here from California and thought what an amazing place Ravinia was, I was wrong. I went to get a drink for my wife and I since we were in the 4th row with a healthy price tag and after picking up a few drinks do me and my friends we went back to our seat and we denied entry. That wasn't what pissed me off, not telling me we could not bring in 60$ worth of drinks was. Wrong, wrong and wrong! Tell them then and not after you can not bring drinks in, we will never come back and spread the news , terrible customer service!

We had a terrible experience. We drove 2 hours to venue because Metra doesn't run from Kenosha on Sundays. We got in parking line at 4:11. Two hours later we got to gate only to find parking lot was full. Had to drive to park and ride and hold a bag, cooler and chair in my lap with no room once in shuttle. Only to get there to find out stage is not visible? I've never been to a venue where you can't see stage. Since we didn't get there until almost 7, despite being there 3 hours prior, we had to sit near a garbage can way on the end. So the tiny screens they had we couldn't see. And then after, we had to walk a very long way and wait for the shuttle, only to have to hold all my stuff in my lap while someone stood with their back to me. It was terribly uncomfortable. I go to concerts all over WI and IL and I've never had an experience like that. The venue should communicate much, much better. Like you can't text to let us know lot is full? I got an email about the shuttle while I was driving so I didn't see it until after the show. They can't send that the day before? Will I do it again? No. I will not. I bought tickets for another show but I'll sell them. That was awful. I spent FOUR HOURS once I got to Ravinia (not including 4 hour round trip drive) just to find parking and get back to car. Shameful to treat customers as if they are so unimportant and their time means nothing. For a venue that has so many shows, you'd think they could do a much better job of organizing and communicating. I do not understand the appeal.

We are all stuck on the platform. They closed one gate and funneled us to return to another gate. Ridiculous! Wondering how they can mismanage entry when they have been in business for years. Melissa and Indigo girls should not be such of a challenge. Took early train as they suggested and will be amazed if I make it to opening act. Wondering if I should just go home

The first thing I have to say which disappointed us greatly is that the people doing the safety scans at the entrance, basically are there for show. The scanner went off while scanning someone in our party. That means that it detected metal. It was in his pant pocket area. He told the girl using the scanner that it was most likely his keys. She said, "ok", and let him through! Isn't the whole point of the scanner to actually CHECK and VERIFY? In addition to that, it was so disappointing to see how this went from being a gem surrounded by trees and an old Tudor- style building, to feeling like you're in front of a mall, with glaring lights.

Lauryn Hill is now 55 minutes late, concert was supposed to start at 8p...it's minutes to 9p- no announcements, no nothing. The venue needs to better control its artists, there's an expectation of timeliness and profession is. Shame on Lauryn, complete disrespect for your audience.

At one time I gave this venue 5 stars. This is a disciplinary review. This venue works if you are local. If you have to travel here by train expect one train in early. Expect one train out very late. Trains can be delayed by an hour or more. If you have to drive here expect parking will be miles away and you rely on a shuttle. The shuttle works for shows that are not packed- if you attend a sold out show expect the shuttle process to take hours. I will no longer attend if I don't feel I can drive and park right at the venue. This is an outdoor venue mostly so plan on weather. Water is 9$. Food is extremely expensive. Went on a blistering day and had to pay 18$ for water. Bathrooms are nice. Facilities good quality. Every classical music event I have attended this year we get some long winded speech about supporting Ukraine and migrants. The Beethoven show they told us Beethoven had to fight for freedom like Ukraine. Absurd. I went for music and expected to be entertained and I was not. Do not attend this venue if you expect top rate performance every time. Review the performers before you go. Ravinia needs to completely stop the political lectures. Whether I agree with your politics or not I am paying for musical entertainment not sophmoric speech.

why sell popcorn if I can't bring it to my seat? Gluten free options are scarce. Get there early if you don't want to shuttle from a remote location.

Avoid this dump by all means! Worst customer service, I've ever experienced been going to concerts for 18 years and never have I had a worse experience. One bartender was friendly the staff seating guests were friendly. The security was way too much, the rules regarding drink and food within the pavilion is a gut punch. After spending $100+ on two hot dogs a cookie and 4 drinks, you'd be better off staying at home and watching YouTube! Beware Beware!

Ravinia is such a wonderful place! I've been coming here for more than 20 years and it just doesn't get old. There's something magical about sitting outside and enjoying the music. If you're on the lawn and bring your own picnic, be sure to bring a large enough blanket so everybody can fit. At really popular concerts you need to make sure you have your space claimed. Over the years they've added lots of different restaurants and places you can get food if you don't feel like packing your own picnic. You can also get wine beer and some cocktails here are usually already in a can. And quite honestly, if you decide to go to do the pavilion for the concert and actually buy a seat, you are not going to get a bad seat in the house. I've actually gone to concerts where we were in the last row and it was still a fabulous and fun way to see a concert. The one thing that I will say about Ravinia is that I wish you could sit on the lawn and still see the performers. There are a lot of outdoor venues across the US that allows you to still see the performers. However Ravinia is not set up that way so do not expect to be able to actually see the act if you are on the lawn. I also recommend that you think about taking the train to Ravinia. You do have to make sure that you pack up and go as soon as the concert is done so you don't miss the train home. But the parking can really fill up with popular concerts. So if you do plan on driving and want to be able to park near Ravinia, be sure you leave lots of time. Otherwise you'll need to park in the free lots in downtown Highland Park and then take buses to Ravinia and back. Oh and by the way the buses are free.

Ravinia holds a special place in my heart. Most summers I try to make at least one outing. I pack up the outdoor blanket, a couple chairs, the mini table (the "Ravinia" table from crate & barrel you know which one I'm talking about), a spread of food, and if it's a humid night, a couple citronella candles. I love seeing other people's setups. I've seen multiple tiered tables, fancy candelabras, and even a crock pot. People are serious about Ravinia ok. This year with covid, they have a new reserved lawn seating on the right side. The left side is still the normal first-come first-serve, pack it in like sardines. I recently came for 90s grunge night (Collective Soul, Better than Ezra, and Tonic) and tried out the reserved lawn. LOVED IT. There are spots for 2, 4, or 6 people. We reserved a spot for 4, #1010, which is dead center in front of the projector screen, but a few rows back. 1010 also slopes slightly downward FYI. The spots are very socially distanced and enough room for us to set up said blanket, table and 4 chairs. We didn't have to get there right when doors open to snag a primo spot. In fact we got there right when the concert started and got an amazing parking spot too. Really hope they continue to do the reserved lawn with all future seasons.

If you are looking for an ideal outdoor concert under the stars, Ravinia's Lawn is the way to go. We saw the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) perform Beethoven's 9th symphony in July of 2018. When purchasing tickets, you have the option to choose covered pavilion seating (which is slightly expensive) or the lawn. If you choose pavilion seating, you're much closer to the stage. Food is prohibited in the pavilion whereas the lawn's rules are far more relaxed. You can bring your own food, its BYOB, you can BYO lawn furniture, and picnic alfresco all while watching your favorite performances. We brought our own lawn gear complete with a mini picnic table, blanket, food, wine, and eating utensils. Other, more seasoned, patrons brought in far more sophisticated arrangements. We even saw a number of folks creating lavish setups complete with florals and candelabras. It was pretty neat seeing the prep at work and it gave me ideas on how to prepare for next season. The area felt safe as there was a significant number of security on foot monitoring the grounds. Here are a few tips if you're visiting and purchased lawn tickets: Tip #1: As much as possible, pack your own folding chair. Sitting on something is a godsend because we stood for 45 minutes waiting in line before the gates opened to the public. Standing around in 90 degree weather for that length of time was torture. It would've been nice to have a chair or cooler to sit on while waiting. Tip #2: Bring a fan mister and wet wipes. When it's hot out, the fan mister hits the spot and the wet wipes come in handy when you're eating or cleaning stuff. Tip #3: Bring your own bottled water. A bottle of water costs $3 onsite. That's just crazy! Tip#4: Purchase a wagon or a rolling granny cart prior to your event to conveniently carry all your belongings. Tip #5: If you need to charge your phone and you're running out of juice, there is a free charging station in front of the gift shop near the dining pavilion. It took a while for us to figure out how to operate it but all you need to do is find an open cell, open the cell door, hit the lock key button, choose a 4 digit pass code, and then press the lock key button again to lock the door. To open the door and retrieve your phone just hit the lock key button and your 4 digit code. We had such a splendid time at Ravinia and cannot wait to come back next year!

Went to go see Sting on Sunday Sept 28. He was Amazing!! Now on to the Bad. Was pouring outside up till about half hour before so we had to dash to the food area. We were planning to eat there anyway. Went to 847 Burger. My girlfriend got a burger and I got the brisket. Brisket was very good tasting but was cold. Her burger was cold too. Not Luke warm on either.Just cold. We ate anyway because it was getting crowded and didn't want to crash line for replacements. She said burger had unusual taste right away and she said tasted like it was sitting out for a bit.But still ate it. Mine tasted good. Just cold. Long story Long, Diahrea following day for her and very upset stomach for me. I'm fine 2 days later but she is still sick praising the porcelain bowl most of the night. So love Ravinia experience but not this time. And I go every year. So NO to the food at 847 burger. Not to be chanced again. And I usually bring the food but didn't have time to put anything together. Both our bad for eating this and not complaining and getting something different. Disappointed.

Terrible experience trying to buy tickets and total failure in the part of Ravinia to follow through on making things right. I picked my seats, completed the transaction, and was cashed for the tickets. I never received the tickets or email confirmation and then was credited for the charge with no explanation. So I waited in a queue for hours only to not get the tickets I waited for. Unacceptable.

Outside the covered pavilion there is no view. Tho sold out it is half empty. No screens are set up for reserved lawn. So i put my 3 yr old on my shoulders so she could see the performers of this childrens programs and a yellow vested elder told me to put her down. They should make it possible to: 1. access empty seats 2. Allow children to see the childrens programming 3. Choose volunteers interested in being helpful rather than power trips.

Went to the #RaviniaReveal hard hat media preview .@RaviniaFestival I like your style! 3 New restaurants and bar, if you've never been here you must come. The new restaurants, The Treetop and Park View as well as the Lawn Bar will offer great options for fine dining as well as walk-in quick order meals. You will be able to make a reservation for either the Tree Top or the Park View restaurants, but the Lawn Bar is walk-in only. Saw Carrie Underwood here, it was a great concert! Yes, we had lawn seats, but you can hear from anywhere, and we weren't that far back from the seating area so we could see her and they have big screens too! Come early to reserve your spot, this place gets crazy crowded! Blankets or quilts are a must, Tarps are good too, you'll get real friendly with your neighbor. Bring chairs, cushions, or pillows. Some people go all out and even bring tables, tablecloths, dinnerware and glasses. We got a picnic basket with wine from Ravinia, better than lugging your own food and drinks there. Since you've gotten there so early to reserve your spot, you will eat and drink and have plenty of time to then relax and enjoy the concert later. Go with someone you love, your family or your best friends and enjoy a relaxing evening/concert.

Where summer begins The calendar and temperature may say otherwise, but, everyone knows that summer doesn't begin until Ravinia opens. At least in the Chicago area, and specially along lake Michigan's north shore. In an area rich with summer festivals, Ravinia reigns supreme; there is nothing else like it. For the uninitiated, this is not a concert hall, a outdoor concert with a stage or the average summer festival where bands play on a stage and everyone gathers around it. Yes, there is a pavilion where the featured act performs on a stage, and the audience watches and listens from the comfort of stadium style seating; you can buy a ticket for those seats, and for an act that you really like, I highly recommend it, but to experience Ravinia, one has to sit on the Lawn. It is Like having a picnic with your loved ones, listening to great music, surrounded by your closest friends, and six or eight thousand of your neighbors. It is like a music pavilion located in the grounds of a botanical garden; where you can enjoy World class music being played while enjoying the company of loved ones. In May of 2018, I was lucky enough to attend the pre opening of their 3 new restaurants: Tree Top Park View & Lawn Bar They are all located within one building; #RaviniaReveal "hard hat media preview" .@RaviniaFestival These are 3 new reasons to attend Ravinia this summer. Whether you want a casual snack or meal to take to your spot on the lawn, a drink at the bar, or a formal meal, it is all there; no need to carry  perishable items on a hot summer day. The menus are vast, with items for most tastes. And all prepared and paired with the delicacy and attention of fine dining. SUGGESTIONS & EXPERIENCES ARRIVE EARLY . This means gate opening time. Bring a blanket and or chairs. Not only to sit down, but to mark your spot. FOOD: most people bring their own, and if you are willing to buy it, prepare it and carry a cooler, by all means do it. I prefer to just bring a few non perishable snacks, and buy my food at Ravinia. BEVERAGES: here is where I like to save my money. Bring one or two bottles of wine, and bottled water. Not only is it a great savings, I can select the wine I like, or are in the mood for. TRANSPORTATION: taking the train (public transportation) is a great option and highly recommended, but is not for everyone. Remember, you have to carry everything you want to bring. PARKING: available, but at a premium. Arrive early. Long lines form before opening time. I have been to Ravinia more than a few times over the years, and have tried various scenarios: from taking the train, driving, bringing my food and beverage or buying a basket for two with wine and food at Ravinia. To some people, this could be expensive or extravagant, but it will simplify your day, and allows you to enjoy the experience to the fullest. MY METHOD OF PREFERENCE IS: Drive and park. Arriving early. Bring small blanket and chairs. Bring my own beverage: water, wine and non-perishable snacks. BUY FOOD AT RAVINIA. With the 3 new restaurants, the options just got much better. Enjoy it! If others sit close to you, and they will, make new friends, share your wine and have a taste of theirs. After all, THIS IS RAVINIA

Ravinia, located in Highland Park, is probably the most prestigious outdoor summer classical music festival in the Chicagoland area. Not only is Ravinia the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but there are also great recitals from some of the world's most renowned soloists (lieder recitals, piano recitals, etc). However, the recent orchestra concerts haven't featured as many of the great/legendary conductors as in years past. There are also tons of other fantastic music offerings from other genres (pop, hip-hop, rock, Motown, country, soul, etc). The outdoor venue with the pavilion is great, and the Martin Theatre has a much nicer acoustic for the more intimate recitals and other orchestra performances. My only qualm is that I do wish that the Festival was closer to downtown Chicago, but at least the Metra UPN line drops off/picks up directly at the Festival entrance, so that helps a bit.

What a beautiful place! Every time we come, we have a magical time. We sat in the lawn, and THAT is where the party is at. I did notice they have a "reserved" lawn area. It is probably just a ploy to up charge the price.

I love the fact that you can bring in your own food and drinks! That is amazing to me! I was disappointed that you can't enjoy the food and drinks if you are sitting in the pavilion. I totally understand though- because that would be a mess and it's tight quarters. I am taking away a star because, while we were sitting in the pavilion (6 rows from the back), we could hear the ushers and guests just chatting away! It was so annoying and frustrating. Overall- great experience (even in the pouring rain)!

Alright y'all, I'm in love with Ravinia. I'm pretty sure that's the sign I've climbed over the hill and I'm super old. But whatever man, the whole Ravinia experience is so cool. NOW.....You're reading these Yelp reviews, you probably already have an artist you want to see, I'm telling you it's amazing...SO....you're def going to go at this point...What you now need are Pro-Tips. I gotchu. Pro-Tip 1: If you can train it, do that. Especially from the city. No need to drive. No need to spend $25 on their parking. No need to get stuck in traffic coming/going. That's just silly. Weekend Metra Passes are $8. Taking the train from the city is sooooo convenient. Pro-Tip 2: If you're coming on the weekend, take the earlier train from the city. If you have time to kill, ride 2 stops past Ravinia & go to downtown Highland Park for delicious eats, drinks & shopping. You can then take the train back the 2 stops to Ravinia and get there about 20 minutes before the gate opens and you need to line up at that time for GA. Pro-Tip 3: Eat before & just bring light bites & some drinks. Or a lot of drinks. Whatever works for you. We actually ended up purchasing a cheese plate there for $8 which was totally reasonable for everything included. It was just the right amount to go with everything else we brought and we loved it. Pro-Tip 4: Even if you're sitting in chairs, bring a blanket or tarp to claim your space. The lawn at Ravinia is a battleground and you have to stake your claim. Once you do, you're pretty golden. No one moves anyone else's stuff but you better believe they will have their set up just an inch away from yours. Pro-Tip 5: Bring bug spray. I didn't have a huge problem with this but did get a couple of bites because I wasn't prepared. Pro-Tip 6: Get there before the gate opens. This goes along with Tip 2 but if you are driving, ubering, training, whatever it is...get there early....have fun chilling out before the concert starts. Pro-Tip 7: Don't buy one of those light up cowboy hats. And if you do, take a selfie with all your woo-girl friends and then please post it with hashtag midlifecrisis. Pro-Tip 8: If you really love an artist, the pavillion is worth it. You can still have your fun drinking & eating it up on the lawn for the first few hours, then take your seats once the fun begins. I saw John Legend in the pavilion a couple years back and it remains one of the best concerts I've attended. It's such an intimate experience plus he walked up & down the aisles for some seriously close action. Amazing! Pro-Tip 9: If you get lawn seats, you'll hear the music very clearly and it will be fun. But you will nottttttt see the artist. It is not happening. That's all I got for now. I am definitely going to get tickets to more shows next year because I forgot how fabulous seeing artists here. John Legend, Beach Boys, Wyclef Jean, Chicago Symphany Orchestra & John Mellencamp - who will be next on my Ravinia list?!

After reading several other reviews from those who experienced Chicago live at Ravinia, I figured I'd better chime in. What a great show! We had VIP passes/pavilion seats, because our friend is the bass player in the band. I was glad to have a seat for this one, because the lawn was beyond packed, and my hubby and I are pretty claustrophobic and don't love crowds. The band was tight. From a trained ear, the sound could have been a bit better, though. Initially the sound was just all the same...loud. There were times you couldn't hear the guitar player or bass player, but it improved throughout the show. I repeat...there is just really no bad seat in the pavilion. You can get a clear view of the stage from anywhere. My biggest disappointment was not getting to hang in the EMPTY music experience museum before the show. I got there a bit late, and we had to go meet up with our bass player friend. Why don't they publicize the museum better? What a shame, because I know they put a lot of $ into it. Overall, a fabulous night. But then again, who would complain about Ravinia?

We made a reservation for dinner at the Treetops restaurant prior to a concert there. After receiving innumerable email reminders prior to the date, including two days before, we received an email the evening before the concert stating that the restaurant would be closed and offering a reservation an hour prior elsewhere. Upon arriving at Ravinia I located the manager, shown here, who told me that they had so few reservations they decided to close. No real apology forthcoming. What a way to do business. Avoid disappointment and don't consider dining at Treetops.

Fantastic festival atmosphere. Just know that majority of the people will come here with extravagant picnic plans. Be sure you do too, to not feel left out. Also, other than the seated pavilion, no other locations have direct view of the stage. That said, it shouldn't keep you from visiting this amazing place for some great music.

Love this place! Only knocking a star because the food and drinks are insanely overpriced.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Ravinia, for having Morrissey on this year's lineup! Given my steadfast commitment to all things Morrissey/The Smiths, the Pavilion tickets were the only way to go. VIP and center stage tickets were sold out immediately, to my dismay. The Pavilion venue itself is 5stars for a concert show. Excellent views, seating is comfortable, and it's easy to maneuver around people to get places. Very clean, surprisingly, and staff were all helpful. Food- Treetop (no reservations) was decent. Plenty of booze, but lacking in coffee selection. The only coffee offered on the entire Ravinia grounds is drip coffee (which is good, fortunately, but not a latte). Had smoked chicken, and a brussel sprouts salad w/ goat cheese. Food court: Options are not attractive enough to eat. It offers simple meals: burgers, bbq, fries, subs. I ordered the Mushroom burger with fries, (another) Caesar salad, and a coffee from here, as well. Meh. Parking is available in two lots, usually: east and west. No coffee shops on site, so do pickup some lattes beforehand if you'd enjoy one during a show. PLEASE HAVE MORRISSEY BACK, AGAIN, RAVINIA!!!

Just sayin- I have lived on St Johns for over 30 years. I have witnessed numerous occasions where patrons give up on the line for the bus and start walking. Folks- it's 2 miles- a long walk when you have chairs, coolers etc. I have driven people there many times but last week I got a $100 ticket dropping people off for Chicago ( I was not in anyone's way) so might not do that anymore. NOT ENOUGH BUSSES for the popular events!! Go way early or maybe don't go. It's a nightmare.

I really enjoyed Ravinia, saw Aretha Franklin and many great stars! Fun with friends! For me when you live downtown, it's just too far to get to by train when everything else is soooo close. When my downtown friends and I were finally back even though we were tired, we noticed a batmobile parked on the street so we stayed up to watch them film!