Big-name rock bands get top billing at Winnetka Music Fest

The hits — or, more accurately, the hitmakers — keep on coming for the Winnetka Music Fest.

This week, the 2025 festival lineup was revealed for the constantly growing local street festival and it features the deepest bill of renowned acts yet.

“With this fest in particular, each year as the bands get bigger, they come through the festival, have a wonderful time, and really enjoy the hometown vibe and that word gets around the industry,” said Jordan Lulloff, general manager for Space Presents, co-organizer of the event. “They say it’s a really great place to play and to a welcoming audience.”

That dynamic led to a two-day lineup for Friday-Saturday, June 20-21, that is headlined by celebrated rock bands The Revivalists and Cold War Kids and also includes pop star Natasha Bedingfield, indie rock great Pete Yorn, California rockers Winnetka Bowling League and more.

The full lineup (so far) with artist bios can be found at Winnetkamusicfestival.com. Festival organizers say more acts will be announced in March.

Two-day tickets open on Monday morning, Feb. 10.

Lulloff believes this year’s lineup — in the ninth year of the event — is the Winnetka Music Fest’s strongest.

“It’s definitely some of the biggest names to have come through,” he said. “What’s cool about this event too, is with bands like The Revivalists and Cold War Kids, you’d never think they’d be playing on the streets of Winnetka, a small suburb outside of Chicago. But (this event) brings internationally renowned acts straight into your backyard. It’s really special and part of the mission of this event.”

Other recent big-name acts at the Winnetka Music Fest include Band of Horses and Milky Chance in 2024, The Wallflowers and Michael Franti and Spearhead in 2023, and Guster in 2022.

Lulloff and Space joined the Winnetka Music Fest three years ago, partnering with Val Haller, of Valslist, to help take the event to another level.

In the ninth year, the festival will feature more than 30 acts over two days across four stages along Lincoln Avenue in downtown Winnetka.

Ticket information

Two-day general admission tickets ($119) will be the first available starting at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10. VIP two-day passes are $324 and include a special viewing area, two drink passes per day, exclusive food available for free and for purchase, and indoor bathrooms.

Single-day tickets will be available sometime in March, Lulloff said.

Doors open at 4 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Festival backstory

Val Haller launched the Winnetka Music Festival as a two-day street-style program in 2017.

But things changed in the first three pandemic-impacted years. The event was canceled in 2020 and in 2021, it was given a new name, Emerge Winnetka, and location, the Skokie Playfields.

In 2022, the concert returned to its Winnetka Music Festival moniker and welcomed its biggest names yet, Guster and The Record Company, for a one-day extravaganza.

And the music fest went back to its two-day roots in 2023 and added more hit musical acts, headlined by The Wallflowers and Michael Franti and Spearhead. Band of Horses and Milky Chance led the way the following year.

In its current form, the festival spreads its musical acts across four stages — two main stages, a chapel stage at 630 Lincoln Ave. and a family-friendly stage — along Lincoln Avenue north of Elm Street.

Complementing the stages will be food trucks and food and beverage vendors throughout the festival space.

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