Event Briefs

Rooted in Ravinia Returns With Evening Market and Music

July 2026 Issue

July 3, 2026 BY Natural Awakenings

Experience Rooted in Ravinia at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois, on July 29. This unique evening event combines a vibrant farmers market, local vendors, fresh food, handcrafted goods, and live music from Railheart, Duke Tumatoe, and The Kody Norris Show, celebrating community, bluegrass, and local culture in Chicagoland.

Courtesy Ravinia Festival

Ravinia Festival will host the second annual Rooted in Ravinia on July 29 in Highland Park, transforming the festival grounds into an evening marketplace featuring Ravinia Farmers Market vendors and live music. The evening event will include performances by local favorites Railheart, blues guitarist Duke Tumatoe and headliner The Kody Norris Show, along with fresh produce, baked goods, picnic-ready food items and handcrafted items from market vendors.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. for shopping before music begins at 5 p.m. on the Carousel Stage. Railheart will open the evening, followed by blues guitarist Duke Tumatoe and headliners The Kody Norris Show. Guests may browse the market before settling in on the North Lawn for the performances. The market will remain open through 9 p.m.

The Kody Norris Show is a quartet rooted in North American folk music and traditional bluegrass with an original performance style. The group’s show tips a hat to the traditions of Bill Monroe, the showmanship of Jimmy Martin, the harmonies of the Stanley Brothers, the spirit of the Grand Ole Opry and the flair of vaudeville. Top-notch picking is center stage, but humor and visual flair are also parts of the overall entertaining presentation. Add in their customary stage attire of colorful, tailored suits adorned with rhinestones, ties, classic hats and ornate boots, and spectators will appreciate why the band earns its “show” moniker.

Now in its 48th year, the Ravinia Farmers Market operates on Wednesday mornings from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 3 through October 28 in Jens Jensen Park. On July 29, the market will be held exclusively at Ravinia Festival beginning at 4:30 p.m.

“The Ravinia Farmers Market has always been about more than shopping,” says Market Manager Ed Kugler. “It’s a place where neighbors connect, the community comes out to support local businesses and small farmers, families gather and people can slow down and enjoy a beautiful morning in Highland Park.”

That feeling translates to the Ravinia Festival evening edition of the market, which last year featured nearly 50 vendors during a night of memorable, live bluegrass music.

Cost: Tickets start at $20. Location: 201 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Ravinia.org.