Windy City Smokeout, first-time winner of the Academy of Country Music Awards “Festival of the Year,” and the nation’s premier outdoor country music and BBQ festival, will return to Chicago August 4-7, 2022 outside the iconic United Center at 1901 W. Madison Street. Hosted by popular barbecue joint, Bub City and Joe’s Bar, Windy City Smokeout will feature live performances from country music’s biggest names and up-and-coming talent, plus the best BBQ and craft beer from around the country.
Image Credit: Katie Kauss
2022 Music Lineup
ACM award-winning promoter and Windy City Smokeout co-founder, Ed Warm, handpicked the weekend’s lineup including stage, screen and GRAMMY award-winning star Tim McGraw, the most decorated female country singer of all-time Miranda Lambert, ACM award-winning Sam Hunt and 12-time GRAMMY award-winning Willie Nelson & Family who will co-head opening night with the highly anticipated reunion of the Turnpike Troubadours.
“Windy City Smokeout truly represents the best in country music, BBQ and beer and being named the Academy of Country Music’s ‘Festival of the Year’ is an incredible honor that we don’t take for granted,” says Warm.
“When the band is playing, and you’re drinking a cold beer, eating brisket and it’s 6 o’clock at night, and you see the Chicago skyline in the background, it’s like it doesn’t get any better than this in Chicago.” — Pete McMurray
The full list of country music acts by day include:
Thursday, August 4
4 p.m. – Morgan Wade
5:15 p.m. – Zach Bryan
7:00 p.m. – Turnpike Troubadours
9:00 p.m. – Willie Nelson & Family
Friday, August 5
3:20 p.m. – Shelby Darrall
4:20 p.m. – Tiera Kennedy
5:30 p.m. – Niko Moon
6:45 p.m. – Russell Dickerson
8:30 p.m. – Tim McGraw
Saturday, August 6
4:20 p.m.- Lily Rose
5:35 p.m. – Mackenzie Porter
6:45 p.m. – Jordan Davis
8:30 p.m. – Sam Hunt
Sunday, August 7
3:00 p.m. – Mike & The Moonpipes
4:30 p.m. – Flatland Calvary
6:15 p.m. – Kip Moore
8:00 p.m. – Miranda Lambert
Image Credit: Jeff Marini
BBQ and Beer
This year’s BBQ line-up features 25 of the world’s best pitmasters including 10 new teams offering a mix of new school and old school ‘cue dishes throughout the festival weekend. The full 2022 BBQ line-up includes (* indicates they are new to the 2022 festival):
17th Street BBQ
Against the Grain
Black’s BBQ (Austin, TX) **
Bub City
Green Street Smoked Meats
Hogapalooza
Hoodoo Brown BBQ
Hurtado Barbecue (Arlington, TX) **
Leroy & Lewis BBQ
Little Miss BBQ
Lillie’s Q
Loro (Austin, TX) **
Meat Mitch (Leawood, KS) **
Operation BBQ
Pappys Smokehouse
Pearl’s Southern Comfort
Sam Jones BBQ
Slab Barbecue
Smoke Queen Barbecue (Long Beach, CA) **
Smoque
Soul & Smoke (Evanston, IL) **
Station One Smokehouse (Plainfield, IL) **
Sugarfire Smokehouse
Truth BBQ
Ubons BBQ
Wrights Barbecue (Fayetteville, AR) **
“While it’s known as one of our country’s most sought after live music festivals, Windy City Smokeout has always been and always will be a hospitality-led event that shines above the rest” says RJ Melman, president of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants. “The level of culinary talent that we are able to bring together every year makes it a celebration of BBQ and artisans from beloved restaurants and craft beer establishments all across America, just as much as it is a celebration of country music.”
Windy City Smokeout will also have food from non-barbeque collaborators, including Happy Camper, Duck Inn, Summer House, Small Chavel, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba and Federales. Thirty beer and cider vendors will pull taps ranging from big beer to craft breweries, including Goose Island, Founders, Haymarket, Moody Tongue, Surly and Virtue. A full list of beer vendors can be found at https://www.windycitysmokeout.com.
Image Credit: Jeff Marini
Bonus Events
Guests can round out the experience with a selection of curated events including the Biggest Happy Hour of the Summer and epic BBQ Brunch on Sunday. The ticketed events do not include admission to the festival; a single day or four-day pass is required for entry.
The Biggest Happy Hours of the Summer
Sponsored by Mamitas
WHEN: Thursday, August 4 & Friday, August 5, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Kick off the festival weekend with The Biggest Happy Hours of the Summer! Each event will feature discounted domestic and craft beers with live music from up-and-coming artists. Access to each happy hour is included with a Thursday, Friday, or 4-day pass. Drinks are a la carte
BBQ Brunch
Sponsored by Illinois Pork Producers
WHEN: Sunday, August 7, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The epic bottomless BBQ brunch on Sunday, August 7th includes a variety of dishes from the Windy City Smokeout Pitmaster Buffet with a special Bacon Bar sponsored by Illinois Pork Producers. Guests can sip on mimosas or build their own Bloodies with all of the fixings at Tito’s Bloody Mary Bar. Tickets are $50 in addition to a Sunday single-day or 4-day pass and can be purchased HERE
Tickets & General Info
Festival passes are now on sale at www.windycitysmokeout.com. NEW this year is a super VIP Festival Pass. Tickets are currently priced as follows:
GA Day Pass for Thursday, August 4: $64.95
GA Day Pass for Friday, August 5: $64.95
GA Day Pass for Saturday, August 6: $64.95
GA Day Pass for Sunday, August 7: $44.95
VIP Day Pass for Thursday, August 4: $300
VIP Day Pass for Friday, August 5: $350
VIP Day Pass for Saturday, August 6: $350
VIP Day Pass for Sunday, August 7: $250
SUPER VIP Day Pass for Thursday, August 4: $500
SUPER VIP Day Pass for Friday, August 5: $650
SUPER VIP Day Pass for Saturday, August 6: $650
SUPER VIP Day Pass for Sunday, August 7: $500
GA Four-Day Pass: $184.95
VIP Four-Day Pass: $1,100
Super VIP Four-Day Pass: $2,000
*General Admission festival passes do not include food or beverage.
**VIP four-day festival passes include access to an elevated and covered area next to the stage, complimentary mobile charging stations, air-conditioned restrooms, access to private cash bars and a welcome gift.
***Super VIP four-day festival passes include deluxe climate controlled upper deck and private viewing areas, complimentary mobile charging stations, personal concierge services, VIP parking access with golf cart service to and from festival grounds, air-conditioned restrooms, top shelf beer/wine/cocktails included, curated lunch and dinner service in private dining areas, late night bites and dessert service
The hours for Windy City Smokeout are Thursday, August 4: 4PM-10pm; Friday, August 5: 2pm-11pm; Saturday, August 6: noon-11pm; Sunday, August 7: noon-10pm. For more information and to purchase festival passes, please visit www.windycitysmokeout.com, and be sure to follow all the action on Instagram at @WindyCitySmokeout and Twitter at @WCSmokeout.
Featured Image: Katie Kauss
The post Windy City Smokeout 2022: Full Line-Up, BBQ List, and More appeared first on UrbanMatter.
