Blake Shelton To Headline Windy City Smokeout

11-19-2025

(Kinship) 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 Blake Shelton will headline its final night on Sunday, July 12, 2026. With excitement building for the new headliner lineup, single-day wristbands for this year's festival go on sale Wednesday, November 19, available at www.windycitysmokeout.com.

Windy City Smokeout returns to Chicago's iconic United Center for the 13th year from July 8-12, 2026, with 4-Day and Single Day General Admission, VIP, Platinum and Wednesday wristbands on sale now.

The 2022 and 2024 winner of the ACM "Festival of the Year" award, Windy City Smokeout is known for bringing together BBQ's most celebrated pitmasters and the biggest names in country music, curated annually by ACM award-winning promoter and Windy City Smokeout Co-Founder and Partner Ed Warm.

The complete list of Windy City Smokeout headlining talent includes:

Wednesday, July 8: Treaty Oak Revival (2025 ACM nominee for "Album of the Year")
Thursday, July 9: Hootie & the Blowfish (1996 AMA "Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist")
Friday, July 10: Lainey Wilson (2023 Country Music Association's "Entertainer of the Year" and ACM's "Entertainer of the Year" in 2024 and 2025)
Saturday, July 11: Jordan Davis (2022 CMA "Song of the Year" winner)
Sunday, July 12: Blake Shelton (Nine-time Grammy Nominated Artist)

New this year, the festival will kick off with a Wednesday night concert headlined by Treaty Oak Revival supported by Braxton Keith and Sterling Elza on July 8. Wednesday evening's early bird opening concert will feature a variety of new food vendors, as more than 20 of the best pitmaster teams from across the country put the finishing touches on Thursday's BBQ preview and prep for the world's largest parking lot party the weekend ahead of Smokeout 2026.

Each headliner will follow a lineup of country music's most exciting up-and-coming talent programmed throughout each day. Guests can round out the experience with a selection of standout 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.