WINDY CITY SMOKEOUT ANNOUNCES FULL LINEUP OF 20+ COUNTRY ARTISTS ACROSS FIVE DAYS, JULY 8-12, 2026
Windy City Smokeout, the two-time Academy of Country Music’s “Festival of the Year” music and BBQ festival from Lettuce Entertain You, is thrilled to announce its full 2026 lineup, adding a fifth night of entertainment for the first time in festival history. The Festival returns to Chicago’s iconic United Center for its 13th year, taking place July 8–12, 2026. The weekend will feature headliners including Treaty Oak Revival, Hootie & The Blowfish, Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, and Blake Shelton, along with more than 15 newly announced artists joining the lineup.
Newly announced music lineup include:
- Russell Dickerson—3x Platinum artist surging with crossover smash “Happen to Me”
- Scotty McCreery—Performing his #1 Country radio hit “Bottle Rockets” with Windy City Smokeout 2026 Thursday headliner Hootie & The Blowfish for the very first time
- Warren Zeiders—2024 CMT Music Award winner, “Breakthrough Male Video of the Year”
- Hudson Westbrook—Spotify “2025 Artist to Watch”
- Carter Faith—CMT’s “Next Women of Country”
An impressive roster of 20+ of the country’s top pitmaster teams will be announced soon, rounding out the festival’s best-in-class BBQ offerings. The full 2026 Windy City Smokeout lineup, including single-day schedules, plus 4-day and single-day General Admission, VIP, Platinum, and Wednesday wristbands can be found at www.windycitysmokeout.com.
Guests are invited to check out the Smokeout’s signature events, such as the “Biggest Happy Hour of the Summer” on Friday, July 10 and a bottomless BBQ Brunch presented by OpenTable on Sunday, July 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The BBQ Brunch will include a variety of dishes from the Windy City Smokeout’s Pitmaster Buffet, featuring a special Bacon Bar – plus guests will have access to unlimited mimosas and Bloody Marys (and more!). A 4-day or Sunday pass is required in addition to a BBQ Brunch ticket for entrance.
Festival passes and Wednesday night general admission for Windy City Smokeout will be available at the rates below (tax not included):
- 4-Day General Admission: $299
- 4-Day General Admission, plus BBQ Brunch: $321
- Wednesday General Admission: $69
- Wednesday VIP Admission: $165
Windy City Smokeout takes place Wednesday, July 8 from 4-10 p.m.; Thursday, July 9 from 2-10 p.m.; Friday, July 10 from 2-10 p.m.; Saturday, July 11 from 1-10 p.m.; and Sunday, July 12 from 1-10 p.m. Passes for the 2026 festival are available at www.windycitysmokeout.com.
For more information, to sign up for the newsletter or join the mobile club visit Windy City Smokeout website. Be sure to follow along on Instagram at @WindyCitySmokeout and TikTok at @WindyCitySmokeout.
Lone Star Smokeout, the first-ever expansion of the Smokeout festival, is also making its return to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas from April 24-26, 2026 featuring headliners Riley Green, Koe Wetzel, and Shaboozey. To be the first to know the full lineup, please visit www.lonestarsmokeout.com or follow on Instagram at @LoneStarSmokeout.