Summer Smash Announces 2021 Lineup
In more welcome news for Chicago’s 2021 festival season, the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash Festival will be returning to Chicago from August 20-22. Bringing a who’s-who of hip-hop’s elite to Douglas Park, the three-day festival will be headlined by A$AP Rocky (Friday), Lil Baby (Saturday), and Lil Uzi Vert (Sunday), with additional acts including Lil Yachty, Earl Sweatshirt, Waka Flocka Flame, Joey Purp, City Girls, Babyface Ray, Internet Money, and more. Tickets are available here.
Ravinia Announces 2021 Festival Lineup
Providing further indication that life is starting to return to normal in Chicago, summer staple Ravinia has announced its 2021 lineup. The iconic Highland Park venue, returning for its 85th season as the country’s oldest outdoor music festival, will host 64 concerts from July 1 through September 26. Highlights include Willie Nelson & Family on August 14, Lake Street Dive on August 26, King Crimson on August 29, Ben Folds on September 18, Ziggy Marley on September 19, and Andrew Bird on September 24. Also new this year, concert attendees may ride the Metra to and from the venue free of charge with proof of a Ravinia show ticket.
North Coast Music Festival Announces 2021 Lineup
In the first major announcement of Chicago’s 2021 summer festival season, North Coast Music Festival has released its 2021 lineup. The 11th edition of the festival is scheduled to take place over Labor Day weekend from September 3-5 in a new location at SeatGeek Stadium, with the huge caveat that the festival still may be canceled pending development of the coronavirus situation. In the event the festival is cancelled, North Coast will offer full refunds or transfers to 2022. Headliners scheduled for the 2021 edition include Kaskade (Friday), Griz (Saturday), and Zeds Dead (Sunday), with additional acts including Louis the Child, Rezz, Ganja White Night, Claude VonStroke, Diesel (a.k.a. Shaquille O’Neal), Green Velvet, Lane 8, Manic Focus, NGHTMRE, and more to be announced. The festival is also planning expanded art installations and a new artist/label-curated fourth stage for 2021. Tickets are available here.
Riot Fest 2020 Postponed, First Wave 2021 Lineup Announced
Riot Fest is announcing its lineup early this year…one year early. That is because while the 2020 festival (scheduled for September 11-13 in Douglas Park) has been cancelled due to covid-19, the festival is plowing ahead with its first wave lineup announcement for 2021. Riot Fest 2021, scheduled for September 17-19 in Douglas Park, will include headliners My Chemical Romance, The Smashing Pumpkins, Run the Jewels, and Pixies, with additional acts including Coheed & Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Lupe Fiasco, Vic Mensa, Sublime, Gogol Bordello, New Found Glory, Toots & the Maytalls, Les Savy Fav, Living Colour, Fishbone, and many more, with a second and third wave to be announced. For the first time, the 2021 festival will also include a Thursday night preview party on September 16 featuring “special performances from mystery bands” for 2020 ticketholders and those who purchase their 2021 tickets by July 15. Weekend passes for the 2021 festival are currently on sale for $150.
