Went to Ravinia Festival at the park to enjoy an evening of the Blues hosted by Morgan Freeman. Bring a picnic, lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the blues under the oaks and the stars. We brought tins of salmon, tuna and seafood from Europe and then went to Trader Joe's on the way and picked up cheese, bread, crackers, drinks and fresh fruits to make a nice spread. It was amazing to see some of the set ups on the lawn as people brought small tables, candelabras and hammocks to the park. We found a small spot nestled under the oaks and got ready for an amazing musical journey. The park itself is also impressive. Before the sun set, I wandered through enjoying the amazing sculptures. Standing Woman by Fernando Botero. Two Seated Figures by Lynn Chadwick. Sculptural Improvisation by Richard Hunt. David and Yonatan by Boaz Vaadia. Just to name a few. I was surprised by the Jaume Plensa piece. Silent Music was composed of music notes. Usually his sculptures are created from letters from different alphabets. Such a creative and stunning work. Love the lighting especially at dusk. Back to the lawn seating and an amazing evening of the blues. Definitely try to get to the park early enough to stake a space. Parking was easy enough considering the crowd. Make sure to remember where you parked to make it easier to find your car in the dark. I just take a photo of the flags near our car. Such a fun evening at the park with my daughter and a friend from school. read more

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Ravinia is a lovely venue. Parking was convenient and attendants were helpful in directing us to our designated area. Staff at the gate was friendly, polite, and helpful. Benches are available along the walkway. Pavilion was clean, ushers assisted with locating our seats. Speaking of seats, our view of the stage was great, and the acoustics were good! Bands took the stage promptly at the start time. Music by the Record Company and the Allman Betts Band was great. Personable performers! Nice crowd, not rowdy or unruly. My only complaint was that the temperature dropped significantly after the sun set, and the Pavilion does not provide any shelter from the wind. We were cold!!! read more

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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. read more

Parked at the West Lot ($25 card only), which is a short walk to the main entrance. Ample folks directing traffic. Security is a relatively quick process of checking bags and coolers. Ticket check area also efficient. Seats in the lawn are great. Chairs, blankets, food, drink, essential, and a great way to save money. Ravinia Park also has a few places to sit down and have a meal and drinks. Good cocktails and friendly service. Relaxed summer vibe people hanging out and enjoying the summer. Two thumbs up! read more

We travel all over the country for concerts & events, but here's a new one... The show (The Roots, Digable Planets & Arrested Development ) was absolutely amazing! We decided to make reservations at their restaurant prior to the concert. When paying our bill, we were told we could not take our leftovers (not a buffet...) with us. The manager cited food safety issues?! We told him we wouldn't have ordered $100 worth of food, if the server would have told us ahead of time or if it was printed on the menus, or if it was mentioned on your website. After our discussion, he left us take some of our food. However, I was even more upset that the ushers wouldn't let us take said food into the pavilion!!! You need to rethink your policies because most people don't have money to just throw away. Your policies are confusing, contradictory, and poorly communicated. read more

Through the years, I've observed many upgrades to Ravinia Park's grounds, facilities and services. Just when I think it can't possibly get any better ... it gets better. Visiting the park for an event is always a special treat. To get the most benefit from the experience, especially if you're an occasional or first-time visitor, I can offer some tips. My "hacks" won't work equally well for everyone, but fwiw ... Getting there: The Missus and drive to downtown Highland Park and park for free in one of the lots adjoining the Metra station. From there, a free Pace shuttle bus takes us directly to the park. The only downside is the return trip; following a popular event the wait to board a bus can be long. For anyone with mobility issues or tons of picnic gear to schlep, I suggest arriving early-early and parking in Ravinia's main (pay) lot. Dining: We bring our own food (alcohol is permitted on the lawn) and eat picnic-style, or we dine at one of Highland Park's fine restaurants before or after the event. Ravinia does have restaurants and concession stands, but their menu prices range from absurd to ludicrous (a paper cup of coffee at Ravinia Market will set you back $5.00) and the quality of the food does not justify the stratospheric prices. Lawn or Pavilion? The lawn is a high-falutin party place. Its cachet and people-watching are incomparable; wine goblets, candelabras and foofaraw abound. Those desiring a coveted spot near the Pavilion line up early, before the gates open. Audio from the Pavilion is piped to loudspeakers throughout the park. But for those who abhor chatter and screaming kids, and actually want to see and hear the performance (imagine that!), the lawn is not so great, especially when it's raining. Us? We love the lawn, but we splurge on Pavilion tickets and when showtime nears, we mosey over to our reserved seats. Note: Picnic gear is not permitted inside the Pavilion and it's best to stow this stuff in your car if you're parked close by. Otherwise, the ushers will point out where to stash non-valuable items. If you attend Ravinia events regularly, donating $100 or more to Ravinia's Annual Fund will get you and your family a bunch of perks, including early park entry and discounts. read more

Ravinia Park - The main entrance in 1955, served by both the C&NW RR and the North Shore Line. - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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I love LOVE Ravinia! Always a great time here and have seen so many shows! Don't bother paying the premium for pavillion seating because everyone knows the party is out on the lawn. It's amazing how elaborate some of the lawn set up is! If you're a first time lawn participant, here are a few tips: 1) Get a cooler on wheels and fill it with lots of ice and your desired beverages. 2) Get a collapsible wagon and fill wagon with the following items: - lawn chairs in a bag - tarp to lay under blankets (it gets dewy in the evening) - picnic blanket to lay on top of tarp - blankets in case it gets chilly - socks (if you wear sandals there, you'll wish you had some socks to put on during the show) - foldable low table/coffee table height - picnic food - glasses/cups for beverages - BOTTLE OPENER (we still forget this sometimes) - games/cards to play while waiting for show to start I hope it helps and happy concert picnicking! read more

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I had not been to Ravinia in years until Saturday 9/1. I heard about the elaborate lawn setups, and they did NOT disappoint! I saw so much care and meticulousness, but we didn't go with the intention to impress, we came to hear/see and save money! Here's the thing: Rain!! We arrived for Culture Club (with B-52s and Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins) at 5:15pm for the 7pm show knowing the lawn would be hectic. Around 6:30 or so the rain started and basically kept up for the next 3 HOURS on and off! People were prepared with umbrellas and panchos (I guess also to put away their food/drinks/tables too) We came by train so I didn't want to lug my lawn chair, so I rented one. It was small, damp from yesterday's rain and had some dirt on it! Glad I saw it before I sat down. I realize Ravinia makes their moolah from the pavilion seats, so of course there was never a question of delay or cancellation, even with LIGHTNING on the horizon. Other outdoor venues clear out or evacuate when that happens, but since the money seats are covered, they rarely cancel a performance due to weather. On the plus side, everyone sounded great, and the audience was in good spirits, they must have been pros. We stood at the perimeter of the pavilion and I got some good pics and video of Boy George and his 30-year partners in crime. I visited the ladies' room early and it looked fine, as I remember it to be. read more

Ravinia Park - Lawn for Culture Club at Ravinia - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Metra train (Ravinia Park stop, 3rd stop from Ogilvie, 3+ stops to Ogilvie) is the best method of transportation. $8 weekend pass. Otherwise, it $7 one way. You can purchase Metra tickets via VENTRA. Metra is the WEST GATE entrance. Plentiful of trains to Ravinia. 30-mins before show, there is a dedicated train coded as RAV. There are 3 other gates/entrances: North, South, and East. For CAR PARKING, to/from shuttle buses are provided. When the concert ends...there is a LINE...like 3-4 rows. A Metra Train waits outside when concert ends...no line, just a seat. *wink* Look into RAVINIA's SPECIAL PROGRAM (Reach Teach Play) especially CPS for freebies and opportunities. Giving back to the community is a wonderful thing. PAVILION SEATING is easy, convenient and you pay more. LAWN SEATING is about $25 depending on Performers. Ravinia also hands you a clear garbage bag for self cleanup. You only hear the live performers as you would in a CD. You can't see performers at all, unless you go to the pavilion that is mostly packed. But, LAWN SEATING is hanging out with La Familia. Children are free to play without disturbing others. There are events for kids well: pizza making, graffiti, ice cream stand. Bring a cooler and STUFF it! At intermission, some were playing music. :-) "Without música, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche RESTAURANT food is good with decent price and portion, depending WHERE you go. If you forget to bring a bottle of wine (BYOB), you can purchase a decent glass for about $5 at the cart area. For BYOB, make sure you bring a twist off bottle as you go through security check and your wine bottle opener may NOT make it. BATHROOM line can be long, but it goes fast. Well maintained. read more

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Just a spectacular venue! Sitting in the cool summer air on a blanket with a packed picnic dinner and a bottle of you favorite adult beverage (that you can bring from home) turns a normal music performance into a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. The environment here is incredibly welcoming and fun, with people of all ages getting up to dance or laugh throughout the performances. The lawn space is very well taken care of, making the act of sitting on the grass not as messy as you would think. Packing a blanket brings the whole experience back to a summer picnic, while a table (with candles if you like) makes the ambiance a little more romantic. Overall a fun and unique experience that you should try. read more

Ravinia Park - Camping out on the lawn watching the show. - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Ravinia is an outdoor music space with few peers in the US. The pavilion offers great up-close views of performances, or for a fraction of the price, you can sit outside on the lawn and bring a picnic with some wine and enjoy the music through speakers. It's a unique experience-- a great place to relax or dance or go get some ice cream. Concerts happen rain or shine, so you can't count on lawn seats necessarily, but when it is dry, this is the place to be in the summertime. They get some amazing acts like One Republic, Train, Hall & Oates, plus the CSO. Park in Highland Park and take the shuttle down... And don't forget your plastic wine glasses! read more

Beautiful lawn with ideal picnic spots aplenty! Don't have a table or lawn chairs? Not a problem--they rent both out here. Be sure to walk around the grounds and to check out all of the beautiful art. There is so much history here! If the statues could talk, they'd sing. read more

It is a good venue for music and I plan to attend more often next season. I usually sit on the lawn but last night I sat in the pavilion. Both are great, lawn seating is usually cheaper (occasionally you can get a deal for pavilion seating through Goldstar). No food or drink allowed in pavilion seating, but you can bring a picnic to the lawn. They also have a few restaurants on site. Staff have been nice every time I've gone. Food you buy there is not cheap, but is usually good. Parking is available but I take the Metra train, which stops in front of the venue at certain times. Otherwise, you can get off at the Ravinia stop and walk (about 10- 15 minutes), there is also a bus which will pick you up at the Ravinia stop and takes you to the venue. It is free and runs about every 5 minutes. It is hassle taking Metra after show, because you have to leave the concert a little early to get a seat. Check Metra return schedule before going to see how often it runs! They provide a variety of musical acts. One negative is the noisy cicadas. read more

Ravinia Park - 'Standing Woman' (1989) by Fernando Botero. - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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Total garbage. We had lawn seats and couldn't see the stage at all. I could have enjoyed a better concert using YouTube at home. I'm used to venues like Pine Knob (DTE) in Michigan, where lawn seats have a great view of the stage and there are screens to ensure everyone can see the performers. I paid $90 for two tickets to hear a concert over speakers. No thanks, and never again. Total waste of money. I can have a picnic and YouTube any day at my place for free. read more

I usually don't sit on the lawn when I come here because I prefer to be close to the music if I have a reason to come all the way up here, but it is nice on the couple times I did. The speakers feel a little sub-par compared to Millennium park. If it rains you are out of luck. People go a little nuts on their picnics, the richies really go all out for a spread and major furniture and all, it's fun to watch from my 10 year old blanket. read more

I can't say enough good things about Ravinia. Where else (in an hour vicinity) can you listen to amazing/popular live music acts and BYOB and BYOF? You can bring anything you want with you!!!! Any food, any drinks. Get there early to get a good spot. Be mindful that if you have lawn tickets, there are trees so it's highly likely that you will not be able to see the stage, but the speakers work wonderfully so you can absolutely hear everything. They sell food and drinks there as well, but save money and bring your own! Bring chairs, blankets, picnic food, etc. It's amazing. I look forward to summer to go back to Ravinia. read more

I had a reservation at the Park View restaurant and it sucked. Levy restaurants should be ashamed of the horrible service. We ordered and the food never came out in time to head to our seats. I'll never go back there again. Eat outside to be safe. read more

At Ravinia seeing Frankie Valli great show Only complaint was the security allowed people to stand along the front area blocking the big video screens for the people sitting in the lawn area read more

Worst place ever. Would it kill them to put some screens up so that you could see the performance. Might as well be in my backyard with the stereo on. read more

I see so many negative reviews. Ravines is a unique place. The open lawn seating is wonderful. The fact that tickets are inexpensive and you can bring in food and beverages is a huge plus. If you are a true fan who wants to really see the show, buy pavilion tickets. All the stuff that the negative reviewers are complaining about are the very things that make Ravinia a wonderful summertime experience. read more

Camped out on the lawn and enjoyed a great show at sunset. Atmosphere is friendly and I will be back again soon. The wine is overpriced so make sure you bring your own. read more

Went to Frankie Valli concert. Very disappointed with venue. Friend asked where the big screens were for the lawn seats. Was told they removed them so they could put 3000 more people in the grass. Was better off listening to his CD in my back yard. Will never go to Ravinia again. read more

Came here for the first time with friends on Sunday to hear Tchaikovsky. The music was amazing of course, I mean what do you expect....it's Tchaikovsky. Anyway I gave three stars for the parking and bathroom situation. We had to park in lot C which is almost 2 miles away, despite arriving early. I appreciated the bus transportation they provided. However it was 80+ degrees outside, the bus was completely full and there was NO AC on the bus, they didn't even have the windows cracked! I felt like they were trying to suffocate us before we even arrived. My friend tried to open the window but no success. So we finally depart the heated bus from hell and start the walk towards the gate. Security was pretty stringent, I was a bit surprised, with the metal detector wands and some stranger reaching into my purse fumbling around. Finally after all of that we make our way to the lawn area and setup our little picnic spot. I was happy to see there were plenty of speakers on the lawn so you could hear the beautiful music while you eat and chat with friends. Although I only gave it 3 stars I'm sure I'll return if there is another music event that sparks my interest. read more

Were at a kids concert event. Many patents brought children too young to attend to the concert. There is constant screaming and talking. We can't even follow the story. Parents, please keep your too young kids at home. I won't be back to this event. Ravinia, you have a reputation of quality to uphold. Explain this to your patrons. It's as most in here as a train station. read more

I am so disappointed. Pentatonix put on a great show, the rain held off! It was a great night. WAS! I don't understand how a sold out show equates to using fewer buses to get folks out of the park. We literally waited 2/3 the length of the time that Pentatonix performed to get on a bus. An hour!!!!! Why would you have FEWER buses operating for a sold out show? A police officer stated there were half ad many buses. Got to question spending almost as much time waiting for a bus as listening to the main act perform. read more