Lady Gaga at Wrigley Field? Some band from the ’80s at Ravinia Pavilion? It could happen this summer—assuming that Covid case numbers continue to drop, the rate of vaccinations increase and city and state officials sign off on large-scale outdoor gatherings.
Earlier today, representatives for the Ravinia Festival and Wrigley Field announced plans to hold shows in their respective venues this summer. Ravinia's announcement noted that all shows would take place outdoors in its Pavilion, with reduced audience capacity, distanced seating and reduction in the number of performers allowed on the stage. Wrigley Field representatives haven't revealed capacity restrictions for concerts, though they'll be welcoming fans back into the stands for baseball games at 20% capacity in April—Cubs spokesman Julian Green told the Chicago Tribune, "We’ll be prepared in the event those concerts are allowed."
All of the shows announced at Wrigley Field are rescheduled from last summer, including Chris Stapleton (July 17); Guns N' Roses (July 21); Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer (August 15); Lady Gaga (August 27); Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe (August 29) and Maroon 5 (August 30). Currently, the plan is to honor all previously purchased tickets, though it's unclear how attendance will be determined if the shows are only allowed to move forward at a reduced capacity. Concerts featuring Zac Brown Band and The Dead & Company that were canceled last summer have not been rescheduled.
The Ravinia Festival has not announced the lineup for its 2021 summer season, beyond stating that guests can expect its "signature mix of classical, popular, and chamber music programming." Representatives confirmed that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will return to Ravinia in July for a six-week summer residency and conductor Marin Alsop will lead seven concerts throughout the season.
We expect to learn more about the likelihood of large-scale outdoor events taking place in Chicago this summer when Governor J.B. Pritzker unveils his plan for the full reopening of Illinois later this week.
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