Ravinia Brewing to change name as part of settlement with Ravinia Festival

Two Ravinias entered, and only one emerged.

Ravinia Festival and Ravinia Brewing Company released a joint statement Friday, Aug. 30, announcing a settlement agreement that involves the brewing company giving up its name.

The agreement comes about 10 months after Ravinia Festival sued the Highland Park microbrewery for allegedly using the protected Ravinia trademark to intentionally mislead consumers and reap the benefits — financially and otherwise.

The brewery was quick to deny the allegations and file counterclaims in response, but in the end, Ravinia Brewing agreed to seek new branding with Ravinia’s “assistance.” The nature of the assistance is unclear, and Ravinia Festival officials declined to comment further.

The joint statement, in part, reads: “While arriving at this resolution has taken time, we are grateful to have been able to resolve our differences in a way that respects both of our interests. We look forward to pursuing our respective paths forward and focusing our efforts on our shared commitment to the community.”

Ravinia Brewing leadership did not immediately return The Record’s messages; however, the business sent a message via electronic newsletter to customers and friends on Sunday, Sept. 1, that offered further context for the agreement.

In the newsletter, the brewery also thanked its customers for their support during the challenging period.

“We have thankfully reached an agreement with Ravinia Festival that will allow both organizations to get back to what they do well,” the message says. “… We are treating this with excitement and energy as we move into the next chapter of our journey. …

“We have been humbled by the outpouring of energy and goodwill that you have bestowed us to date, and we are excited to share our upcoming news with you!”

Background

Ravinia Festival’s lawsuit, which was filed Oct. 25, 2023, contends that Ravinia Brewing Company broke a 2018 agreement between the two parties and intentionally implied — through its marketing methods — an association with the venue.

In its initial response, Ravinia Brewing lashed out, calling the suit “groundless” and accusing Ravinia Festival of bullying the smaller business.

Ravinia Festival’s roots reach back to 1904, according to its website, and the Ravinia Festival Association, the nonprofit that operates the festival, was incorporated in 1936.

The term Ravinia goes back further. In 1872, a community south of a newly incorporated Highland Park was named Ravinia — after the area’s trademark ravines — according to a history of the area by Elliott Miller and published by the Ravinia Neighbors Association.

The City of Highland Park swallowed the area in 1899, but the Ravinia neighborhood remains a historic district in the city that is home to a train station, a TIF district, Ravinia Festival and numerous other businesses.

According to the lawsuit, the Ravinia Festival Association received a federal trademark for “Ravinia Festival” as an entertainment and dining enterprise in 2002 and another trademark for just “Ravinia” in 2011.

Ravinia Brewing Company — co-owned by Kris Walker and Jeff Hoobler — began distributing beer in 2017 and opened its Highland Park taproom and taco bar in 2018 at 582 Roger Williams Ave.

That year, the lawsuit states, it entered into an agreement with Ravinia Festival to use the Ravinia name under certain conditions, such as printing “Brewing Company” at a specific size on its products and including a disclaimer on marketing materials to make clear its disassociation with Ravinia Festival.

In the lawsuit, Ravinia Festival alleged the brewing company repeatedly violated the conditions of the agreement, such as with its music-themed beer, Key Strokes, and by opening a Chicago location that was not associated with the 2018 agreement.

The brewery’s statement in 2023 says that Ravinia Festival has a history of attempting to “beat up” Ravinia Brewing and has touted its significant resources.

A representative for Ravinia Festival declined to share further details on the settlement.

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