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Ahead of its 125th anniversary, the Ravinia Festival has launched a $75-million, multiyear renovation of its 36-acre campus and theaters. Founded in 1904 in north suburban Highland Park, Ravinia now attracts 400,000 visitors annually and presents more than 100 concerts each year. North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival, Ravinia serves as the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
The project’s details were announced Feb. 13 by Jeffrey P. Haydon, president and CEO of Ravinia, and Christopher J. Klein, chair of Ravinia’s board of Trustees. Ravinia will present its usual summer programming without interruption. Ravinia’s signature features, such as its early-20th-century Prairie School architecture will be preserved, while all venues and amenities will be upgraded to state-of-the-art standards.
“For more than a century, Ravinia has been a cherished destination for generations of artists and audiences from our region and around the world,“ Haydon said. ”For many, the Pavilion is their introduction to Ravinia, and it hosts a wide range of events, from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s annual residency and shows by legendary pop and jazz artists. Our goal is to make every part of Ravinia more welcoming, comfortable and exciting, while keeping us at the forefront of artistic presentation and programming for generations to come.”
Supported by a $75 million “Setting the Stages” campaign, the project has begun with a total renovation of the Pavilion, Ravinia’s largest venue. The roof will remain intact as the Pavilion receives a new stage, seating and lighting, as well as improved acoustics and production capabilities. The Chicago-based firm Lohan Architecture is designing the Pavilion’s renovation.
Construction will proceed in two phases; infrastructure improvements are already under way and are expected to be finished before summer 2025, so that Ravinia can present its 2025 season from June 6 to Aug. 31, before work resumes in the fall. The second phase will be completed for the opening of Ravinia’s season in July 2026.
Marin Alsop, chief conductor of the Ravinia Festival, said, “Ravinia is a truly special place for all of us. It is a privilege to make music at the highest level in such a gorgeous, nature-filled setting. When it came to redesigning the Pavilion, a few Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians and I shared ideas to improve acoustics and deepen the connection between performers and the audience, all while preserving the charm and history that make Ravinia unique. It’s exciting to see how these improvements will elevate the experience for everyone.”
After 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.
Pavilion upgrades will enhance production and presentation capabilities, including a deeper stage, a new acoustic shell for orchestral performances, a state-of-the-art audio system, a robust show lighting system and new lighting throughout the Pavilion, modernized production booths and a modern video production room, as well as new audience seating with improved accessibility.
“Ravinia has always been a cherished part of my family’s story,” said Bill Hunter of the Hunter Family Foundation. “[With its] canopy of trees, surrounded by beautiful music and nature, Ravinia represents the perfect intersection of music, art and nature — a place to relax, be inspired and build community. This gift is about ensuring that future generations can enjoy that same magic.”
All other parts of the campus, such as the Sandra K. Crown Theater, historic Martin Theatre, Bennett Gordon Hall and the outdoor Carousel, will be renovated through the 2029 season, when Ravinia will celebrate its 125th anniversary.
The 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.
The Negaunee Foundation Artist Center will feature improvements to the back-of-house with a more welcoming artists’ entrance, updated dressing rooms and artist areas, two new warm-up rooms for musicians, a warm-up room wired to double as a media production studio to support radio and TV broadcasts, renovated offices for the production department and stagehands and an expanded loading area for more efficient show management.
Negaunee Foundation Artist Center will feature updated dressing rooms and artist areas, two new warm-up rooms for musicians, a warm-up room wired to double as a media production studio to support radio and TV broadcasts.
