Ravinia Park

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Ravinia Park is a private park in Highland Park, Illinois that is best known as the site of the Ravinia Festival, a series of outdoor concerts held every summer from June to September. It has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1906. The Park hosts a variety of other music venues that cater to more specialized audiences or operate year-round.

The park takes its name from the ravines found nearby along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

1 Overview
2 Music directors
3 Ravinia neighborhood
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Overview

Ravinia was originally developed in 1904 as an amusement park and destination point on the Chicago and Milwaukee Electric Railroad, located in the then-Village of Ravinia. When the park's existence became jeopardized on account of the railroad's bankruptcy, local residents (for the most part Chicago businessmen) formed a corporation in 1911 to purchase and operate the park. Music was a confirmed summer activity from then on, except for a brief hiatus during the Depression.

The Festival includes symphony concerts, often with guest soloists, as well as opera, jazz, blues, folk, and rock performances, plus ballet, drama, and educational programs which take place year-round.

The permanent facilities on 36 acres (150,000 m²) of picturesque parkland include an open-air amphitheater, landscaped parkland, restaurant and concession stands, and buildings including a concert pavilion and a music education building. Picnicking in the park during the pre-concert is a longstanding Chicagoland tradition. Served by the Metra commuter railroad with special stops before and after concerts, Ravinia is a pedestrian destination for many. Attendance now often tops 600,000.

[edit] Music directors

Seiji Ozawa (1964-1971)
James Levine (1971-1994)
Christoph Eschenbach (1994-2005)
James Conlon (2005-)

[edit] Ravinia neighborhood

The neighborhood, once an incorporated village before annexation, is variously known as Ravinia or Ravinia Park, and retains its own post office.

The business district on Roger Williams Ave., within walking distance from the Park itself, includes neighborhood service businesses and restaurants, such as Ravinia Grill, Java Love, and Happi Sushi.

The Metra stop named Ravinia is at Roger Williams and includes a warming house and facilities. The seasonal limited-service Metra stop called Ravinia Park is at the entrance to the Festival grounds.