Old Dominion, Frankie Ballard Lead Windy City Smokeout Lineup
Back for a fourth year, the Windy City Smokeout will bring beer, barbecue and country music — including headlining sets by Chase Rice, Old Dominion and Frankie Ballard — to downtown Chicago this summer.
A dozen acts have been confirmed for the weekend-long event, which kicks off July 15th and runs until the late evening of the 17th. More than 40,000 fans are expected to attend, making Windy City Smokeout one of the biggest country music festivals in the Midwest. With a history of booking newer acts alongside more established stars, the yearly Smokeout — whose 2015 lineup included a lesser-known Chris Stapleton, still several months shy of his career-making performance at the CMA Awards — has also developed a reputation for shining a light on the next generation of Nashville heavyweights.
Even so, the festival is doubling down on star power for its 2016 event: Billy Currington, Corey Smith and Big & Rich are all set to perform. Rounding out the lineup are Texas country-rockers (and Cadillac Three tour mates) Whiskey Myers, songwriting vet Phil Vassar, family band Walker County, singer and E! reality star Jessie James Decker, hick-hop kingpin Cowboy Troy and an out-of-town installment of Nashville’s weekly Whiskey Jam showcase. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 15th.