John Williams and Rachmaninoff
John Williams and Rachmaninoff

John Williams and Rachmaninoff

Emanuel Ax plays Williams’s new Piano Concerto
Marin Alsop, conductor

CSO Series
Sat, Aug 1, 2026 7:30 PM Tickets

Know Before You Go

Getting to Ravinia: Parking, Rideshare & Train

$15 ParkingPark and Ride OpenFree Metra UP-N Train

  Park in the West Parking Lot at 201 Ravinia Park Rd. The lot opens 1 hour before the listed “Public Gates” time.

Park and Ride shuttles are not in service for this event – please come directly to the onsite parking lot.

 Alert your driver: Uber, Lyft, and other car services must use one of the following parking lots to drop off and pick up guests.

  • West Parking Lot (201 Ravinia Park Rd) — inbound access allowed up to 30 minutes before the end of the performance
  • Braeside Train Station (10 N. St. Johns Ave) — ¼ mile walk from Ravinia
  • Ravinia Train Station (680 St. Johns Ave) — ½ mile walk from Ravinia
  • No drop-offs or pick-ups are allowed on public streets. If Highland Park Police or Ravinia staff redirect traffic, please follow those instructions.

  Ride the Metra Union Pacific North Line train to and from our main entrance for free with your Ravinia ticket.
More Train Info

Inside the Hunter Pavilion

Please note the following food, drink, and personal item policies before entering the Hunter Pavilion:

  • Drinks are allowed inside the Pavilion at all performances, but must be in an approved container.   Drinks must be in plastic cups or plastic bottles sized for 24oz or smaller.   No metal or glass containers are permitted, including metal water bottles.
  • No food is permitted at reserved seats.
  • No bags larger than 18″×12″×12″, coolers, wagons, strollers, large umbrellas, or any other large items   Large items may be returned to your vehicle or stored (unsupervised) along the outer perimeter inside the Pavilion.
  • Items brought into the Pavilion are subject to search at the entrance.
  • All guests must have a ticket for entry, regardless of age.

Prohibited Items

Any item deemed harmful or unsafe by Ravinia staff is prohibited.

While comfort and enjoyment of a night out at Ravinia are our top priorities, guests are prohibited from bringing the following items into the park:

  • Firearms or explosives (including those possessed by off-duty officers or concealed carry license holders)
  • Professional photographic and video or audio recording equipment
  • Grills, firepits, or large open flames
  • Chafing fuel or other canned heating products (e.g., Sterno)
  • Beer kegs
  • Athletic equipment (e.g., balls and flying discs)
  • Bicycles, scooters, or skates (bike racks can be found outside the west and south entrances)
  • Animals, except for service animals trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities
  • Tents or canopies
  • Umbrellas over six feet in diameter
  • Anything that needs to be staked into the ground
  • Drones or other flying apparatus
  • Items intended for protest, solicitation, or promotion not related to the event

Contact the box office (847-266-5100) with any questions.

Performance Content

At Ravinia, we believe that music has the power to bring people together. While we do not control what artists share, we ask all participants—artists and audiences alike—to uphold the spirit of respect, community, and connection that Ravinia offers.

Should any circumstance threaten physical safety, we will take appropriate action to ensure the well-being of our guests, artists, and staff.

Park Map

View or download our park map for the locations of Ravinia’s venues, parking lots, restrooms, first aid station, chair/table rental pickup, Festival Shop, and in-park dining options.

About the Performance

Performers

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Marin Alsop, conductor

Emanuel Ax, piano

Program

7:30 PM – Hunter Pavilion

John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine

John Williams: Piano Concerto (Midwest premiere)

Serge Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, op. 45

–No Intermission–