This summer, the Carousel programming will highlight many of the Chicago area's most promising and rising musicians.
Ravinia Festival is pleased to announce an expanded summer series on its Carousel stage following a successful inaugural year in 2021. The Carousel stage on the North Lawn offers casual, general admission seating for individual events, and, new this year, will host opening acts for several Pavilion headliners during the summer season, which runs from May 20 through September 18. This summer, the Carousel programming will highlight many of the Chicago area's most promising and rising musicians.
Tickets to all summer concerts go on sale tomorrow, May 4, at 8 a.m. online exclusively at Ravinia.org.
"We are thrilled to be able to present so many talented local artists on one of our stages this summer," said Jeff Haydon, Ravinia Festival President and CEO. "Supporting Chicagoland artists and giving them performance opportunities here at home not only expands our local music scene but helps them to create meaningful experiences while building awareness with new audiences."
Live performances at the festival's Kohl Kaplan Fountain will return this summer as well, and will include a Reach Teach Play Teaching Artists Jazz Quartet on June 2 and 7; a combo from the Ravinia Steans Music Institute Program for Jazz on June 8; Nanny Nikki on June 18; Chicago-based saxophone quartet Nois on August 21; and Mariachi Son de Fuego on September 18.
Ravinia Festival's Reach Teach Play Jazz Mentors & Scholars, June 19
Chicago band and winner of The Bitter Jester Festival's 2021 Music Fest Competition Summer Drive, June 23
Son Little, June 25
Chicago band Rookie, July 8
Chicago-based Licensed to Sail DJs present Club MTV, August 26
Chicago-based band Tobacco City, September 2
Chicago singer KAINA, September 11
Flor de Toloache, September 18
Some previously announced Pavilion concerts will now feature additional acts on the main stage, including:
Southern Avenue opening for Sheryl Crow with special guest Keb' Mo', July 7
Mac Saturn opening for The Black Crowes, July 12
Lindsey Ell opening for Little Big Town, July 20
SiriusXM Globalization DJs opening for Pitbull with special guest Iggy Azalea, August 25
Naturally 7 opening for Diana Ross, September 4
Ravyn Lenae opening for Erykah Badu, September 11
In addition, the Chicago-based Adrian Dunn Singers spiritual and gospel choir joins the concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Marcus Roberts Trio on July 16, and Chicago-based vocalists Devin DeSantis, Susan Moniz, and Bethany Thomas join Brian Stokes Mitchell, Heather Headley, and Alexandra Billings for Yours, Stephen Sondheim: His Letters, Mentorship, and Music with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on August 7.
The previously announced June 25 performance by Why Don't We with special guests The Aces and JVKE has been canceled.
Artists, dates, and programs are subject to change.
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