Chicago may be the home of the electric blues, but country music has become an increasingly welcomed guest over the years. This year is no different as the city welcomes back a star-studded lineup for the annual Windy City Smokeout to be held outside the United Center on July 13th-16th.
Celebrating its 10th year, this year’s festival features nightly headliners Zach Bryan (Thursday), Darius Rucker (Friday), Luke Bryan (Saturday) and the Zac Brown Band (Sunday). Support each day comes from a variety of other renowned and up-and-coming artists such as Randy Rogers Band, Chris Lane, Dylan Scott, Eli Young Band, Bailey Zimmerman, Jo Dee Messina, Kameron Marlowe, Larry Fleet, American Aquarium, Jackson Dean, Megan Moroney, Luke Grimes, J.R. Carroll, Drew Green, Tanner Adell, Caroline Jones, Grady Spencer & The Work, and Lauren Watkins.
The festival also boasts over 20 BBQ pitmasters from such cities as Chicago, Austin, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Nashville, St. Louis and more, with gates opening on Thursday and Friday at 2:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 pm. Between the lineup and the BBQ, it promises to be another hot Smokeout in Chicago.
Although 4-day passes are currently sold out, single day tickets are still available. For more information on the festival and to purchase tickets, check out the festival’s website here.
Beyond the music and the BBQ, Windy City Smokeout also annually chooses a charity to support. This year it is the Clay Scherb Rehabilitation/Education Fund. Clay is a young man from the northern suburbs of Chicago who experienced a life-changing spinal injury last August that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Windy City Smokeout is matching all donations made to the fund in support of Clay.
For more information on the Clay Scherb Rehabilitation/Education Fund, head here.
