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Near West Side

Windy City Smokeout 2026 Expands to Five Days, Bringing Country Titans, Rising Stars, and Chicago’s Best BBQ to the United Center

By Tom Barnas
7/9/2026

There’s a certain kind of summer electricity that only Chicago can bottle—part lakefront breeze, part bassline, part slow-smoked ribs—and every July, it pulses just west of the United Center. The Windy City Smokeout is back for 2026, bigger, louder, and hungrier than ever.

A two-time Academy of Country Music (ACM) “Festival of the Year” winner (2022, 2024), the Smokeout has become more than a festival. It’s a full-sensory ritual for country music fans, barbecue obsessives, and anyone chasing that perfect blend of sound and smoke. Produced by Lettuce Entertain You and curated by ACM Award-winning promoter Ed Warm, this year’s edition stretches into new territory—literally.

For the first time in its 13-year run, the festival expands to five days, kicking off Wednesday, July 8 with an intimate early-bird concert. Think of it as a soft opening with a hard edge: live music humming in the background while pitmasters fine-tune their smokers, dialing in flavors that will carry through the weekend.

And 2026 isn’t just about adding a day. It’s about building a universe. New programming includes the debut of the Road to Smokeout and Beyond the Pit series, blending music and culinary storytelling beyond the festival grounds and into the broader Chicago cultural landscape.

The lineup reads like a country radio dream with a few curveballs thrown in for good measure:

  • Wednesday:

    Treaty Oak Revival, riding high off their 2025 ACM “Album of the Year” nomination

  • Thursday:

    Hootie & the Blowfish, bringing a dose of ‘90s nostalgia with crossover appeal

  • Friday:

    Lainey Wilson, the genre’s current firestarter

  • Saturday:

    Jordan Davis, delivering chart-topping hooks

  • Sunday:

    Blake Shelton, closing things out with arena-sized swagger

Supporting acts stack the undercard with serious weight. Veterans like Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson, Tyler Hubbard, and Warren Zeiders share space with rising names like Hudson Westbrook and Carter Faith, giving the weekend a mix of legacy and next-wave energy.

But the Smokeout isn’t just about what’s happening on stage. Wander over to Rodeo Drive and you’ll find a curated market of vendors turning Western flair into wearable art. From custom hats at Sattler’s Hats and Sole Rider Hat Bar to permanent jewelry from Linked Up and boutique favorites like Alice & Wonder and Uncommon James, the shopping scene feels like a Nashville side street dropped into the West Loop.

Food, of course, remains the beating heart. Regional pitmasters bring their A-game, serving everything from Texas brisket to Carolina pulled pork, all paired with craft beer selections that keep the lines long and the vibes loose.

And then there’s Sunday brunch—the festival’s secret weapon. A smoky, slightly indulgent sendoff featuring BBQ-infused dishes, free-flowing mimosas, build-your-own Bloody Marys, and live acoustic sets that ease you back into reality. Or at least something close to it.

From July 8–12, just outside the United Center, the Windy City Smokeout once again proves why it’s Chicago’s premier country music and BBQ festival. It’s not just an event. It’s a seasonal landmark—where guitars twang, grills blaze, and the city exhales into summer.

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