More plans revealed for Ravinia Festival’s huge renovation

Ravinia Festival unveiled on Thursday morning further details of its $75-million plan to renovate the 36-acre outdoor music venue in Highland Park.

The plans first came to light in 2024 when the festival pitched the idea to Ravinia-area residents and the City of Highland Park, according to previous Record reporting. The project gained necessary City approvals in August 2024.

The venue’s Thursday announcement calls the project a “comprehensive upgrade” that “elevates all venues and amenities to state-of-the-art standards.” Infrastructure work on the site is already underway, and officials say construction will “slightly shorten” the 2025 season, which will run from June 6 (lineup announcement coming March 13) through Aug. 31. For reference, the season lasted until Sept. 15 in 2024, Sept. 10 in 2023 and Sept. 26 in 2021.

According to a website for the project, which Ravinia calls the Setting the Stages campaign, more than $50 million has been raised toward its $75 million goal.

The focus of the plan is renovation of Ravinia Festival’s primary attraction, the Pavilion, which will in the future go by Hunter Pavilion to honor Maxine and Thomas B. Hunter III and the family foundation’s $10 million gift.

The Hunter Pavilion will receive a new stage, new seating and lighting, and improved acoustics that reportedly will be ready prior to the 2026 season.

“Renovation of the Pavilion is essential to securing Ravinia’s future and is the first of many exciting changes to come in the park,” said Jeffrey P. Haydon, Ravinia president and CEO, in a statement. “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.”

Other improvements to the main pavilion, which reportedly will keep its trademark roof, include: improved accessibility, a new acoustic shell, a new audio system, and modernized production booths and video production room.

Bill Hunter, of the Hunter Family Foundation, said Ravinia Festival is a “cherished” institution for his family.

“For us, Ravinia represents the perfect intersection of music, art, and nature — a place to relax, be inspired and build community,” he said in the announcement. “This gift is about ensuring that future generations can enjoy that same magic.” 

Ravinia Festival renovations also will include an update and redesign of “back-of-house areas” that serve visiting artists. The area will see a new entrance, updated dressing rooms, warm-up rooms that double as media studios, and an expanded loading area. The space will be named the Negaunee Foundation Artist Center to recognize a $21 million gift from the foundation.

The improvements will be completed in phases and lead into Ravinia Festival’s 125th anniversary in 2029.

City consideration

Ravinia’s plans were first in front of City officials during a Plan and Design Commission meeting on June 4, 2024. The session came about two weeks after Ravinia officials met with neighbors to discuss the plans in mid-May.

The commission discussed and eventually recommended Ravinia’s plans and request for a special use permit on June 4, June 18 and July 16, before advancing to the City Council on Aug. 26.

The council unanimously approved the proposal for an updated development agreement that included zoning relief for an increase to the maximum building height (pavilion) for that district (from 32 feet to 46 feet) and increase to the floor area ratio (from 15% to 19%), as well as fence code modifications for height (4 to 8 feet) and color (from black to green).

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