Jeffrey P. Haydon, President and CEO of Ravinia, and Christopher J. Klein, Ravinia Board Chair, announced that North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival has begun a sweeping, multiyear renovation of its 36-acre park and venues just north of Chicago. Beloved, iconic features of Ravinia, from the early-20th-century Prairie School architecture to the manicured lawn, will be meticulously preserved for future generations, while a comprehensive upgrade elevates all venues and amenities to state-of-the-art standards for Ravinia’s 400,000 annual guests and more than 100 concerts each year.  Supported by a $75 million “Setting the Stages” campaign, the project begins with a complete renovation of the Pavilion, Ravinia’s largest venue. The signature roof will remain intact while the Pavilion receives a new stage, seating, and lighting, as well as enhanced acoustics and more robust production capabilities. Upon completion in 2026, the transformed venue will be renamed the Hunter Pavilion, honoring Maxine and Thomas B. Hunter III, in recognition of a leadership gift of $10 million from the Hunter Family Foundation. The thoroughly renovated and redesigned back-of-house areas serving Ravinia’s artists will be named The Negaunee Foundation Artist Center in recognition of a major gift of $21 million from The Negaunee Foundation. Ravinia will announce its 2025 season, running from June 6 to August 31, on March 13.

Photo Credit: Ravinia