Outlaw Music Festival Chicago 2026: Northerly Island Lineup, Times & Venue Rules

The Outlaw Music Festival plays Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Willie Nelson & Family headline, with The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Sierra Hull and Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble on the bill.

Note on the venue: earlier listings for this date showed Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park. The confirmed venue is Northerly Island, on the lakefront just south of downtown. That matters more than it sounds, because the two venues have different rules. The big one is chairs. Northerly Island does not allow lawn chairs. Tinley Park does. If you have been to an Outlaw Festival in Tinley Park before, do not pack the same bag.

Chicago 2026 at a glance

Who is playing Chicago

• Willie Nelson & Family, headlining, as on all 12 dates of the 2026 tour
• The Avett Brothers
• Lukas Nelson
• Stephen Wilson Jr.
• Sierra Hull
• Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble

Running order has not been published. We will add set times here when the promoter or the venue releases them, and not before.

What you can and cannot bring

These are the policies published by Huntington Bank Pavilion. Venues do change them, so check the venue page again closer to the date.

Bags, and it is a clear bag venue

• Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC tote bags, no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″
• Small clutch bags up to 6″ x 9″, and these do not have to be clear
• Clear one-gallon Ziploc bags for food
• Medical bags may be larger and do not have to be clear

Water

Factory-sealed water up to a gallon is permitted, and so are empty bottles that you can fill inside.

No chairs

Camping chairs and bag chairs are not permitted. This is the single biggest difference from the Tinley Park shows, so it is worth repeating.

Also prohibited

Aerosol products, alcohol, non-service animals, cans, chairs, glass containers, hard coolers, professional cameras with detachable lenses, umbrellas, weapons and wallet chains.

Cashless

The venue runs primarily cashless, so most purchases are card or digital wallet. Carrying a little cash for tips is still sensible.

No re-entry

In the venue’s own words, “We don’t do in-and-outs.” Once you are in, you are in. The one exception is a weather evacuation, after which your ticket is rescanned.

Getting there and parking

Northerly Island sits on the Museum Campus peninsula, so driving in on a weeknight is the slow option. The venue recommends reserving parking in advance through soldierfieldparking.com, and there is a Premier Parking upgrade nearer the main gates. Public lots are available and tailgating is not permitted. Parking prices are not published on the venue’s visitor page, so we are not going to quote a figure.

Transit, by distance from the gates:

• CTA bus 146, Solidarity Drive stop, under 0.2 miles and the closest option
• Museum Campus / 11th Street Metra, 0.9 miles
• Roosevelt L station, 1.1 miles
• Bike racks are available at the venue

Accessibility

There are accessible viewing platforms, and the venue asks that you contact them ahead of time on 312.288.3190 for help with arrival and seating.

Where Chicago sits in the 2026 tour

The 2026 Outlaw Music Festival is a 12-date run, down sharply from the 2025 edition. It opens in Texas in early July and returns in late August for a Midwest-to-Northeast stretch. Chicago is the last Midwest stop before the tour moves to New York. Full route and bill: 2026 lineup, dates and tickets.

• August 21, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• August 22, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
• August 23, Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• August 25, Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
• August 28, Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY

Where this information comes from

Date, venue and bill are from Blackbird Presents, the festival’s promoter, cross-checked against the Ticketmaster event listing. Venue address, bag, water, chair, cashless, re-entry, parking, transit and accessibility details are from the venue’s own visitor information page.

outlawmusicfestive.com is an independent fan resource. We are not affiliated with the Outlaw Music Festival, Blackbird Presents, Live Nation or Huntington Bank Pavilion, and we are not a ticket seller.