Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi to perform at revived Windy City SmokeoutDarel Jevenson April 29, 2021 at 9:56 pm

Canceled in 2020, the music and barbecue festival returns and adds a fourth night headlined by Brett Eldredge.

Country music superstars Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley and Jon Pardi, who were booked to play at the 2020 Windy City Smokeout until it was extinguished by COVID-19 concerns, are set to take the stage at this summer’s fest.

The music and barbecue extravaganza is scheduled to return July 8-11 outside the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St. At Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Thursday morning announcement of looser pandemic restrictions, she cited the Windy City Smokeout as one of the events soon to be feasible in Chicago.

This year the festival grows by a day, and headlining the new fourth night will be hitmaker Brett Eldredge, who recorded his most recent album, “Sunday Drive,” at Chicago’s Shirk Studios.

As the music plays, pit masters from Chicago and around the country will cook their specialties for sale along with a selection of craft beers.

As part of the Smokeout’s comprehensive safety plan, ticket holders will need to show proof of a vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test, and complete a daily symptom survey. Masks will be required for entry.

Daily passes range from $35 to $200, with four-day passes available from $125 to $625, and are on sale now at windycitysmokeout.com.

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