First annual Chicago Open Air Fest expands

Chicago Open Air FestivalChicago Open Air Festival

Onsite Experiences, Gourmet Man Food, Craft Beer, Inaugural Kickoff Dinner At Chicago’s Goose & Fox, Pre-Party and After-Show Events Announced For Chicago Open Air July 15, 16 And 17 Festival At Toyota Park In Bridgeview, IL. Headliners Rammstein, Disturbed And Slipknot Will Be Joined By Chevelle, Korn, Five Finger Death Punch, Ministry, Breaking Benjamin, Marilyn Manson, Of Mice & Men And Many More

 

Additional onsite experiences, as well the official pre-party, an Inaugural Kickoff Dinner at Chicago’s Goose & Fox, and after-show events have been announced for the first annual Chicago Open Air. The three-day music, craft beer and Gourmet Man Food festival held July 15, 16 and 17 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL, just outside Chicago will feature a spectacular music lineup.

Overall, Chicago Open Air will feature performances by more than 40 bands, including Rammstein (the group’s only 2016 U.S. performance and first Chicago show since 2012), Chicago’s own Disturbed (who recently returned from a 4-year hiatus with their #1 album Immortalized), global rock juggernauts Slipknot, Chevelle, Korn, Five Finger Death Punch, Ministry, Breaking Benjamin, Marilyn Manson, Of Mice & Men, and many more. The festival will also include Gourmet Man Food featuring local and regional cuisine, a craft beer village highlighting top brews from the region, other entertainment and fan experiences, and will be hosted by Jose Mangin from SiriusXM.

Chicago Open Air Concert logo

Chicago Open Air Concert logo

A limited number of single day tickets will be released for purchase on Friday, June 10 to celebrate Father’s Day weekend. Single day tickets will only be available while supplies last. Weekend General Admission and VIP tickets are on sale now at www.ChicagoOpenAir.com.

Here’s a preliminary list of Chicago Open Air special events, Gourmet Man Food and craft beer partners, as well as onsite experiences and nonprofit organizations with a presence at Chicago Open Air:

Chicago Open Air Pre-Party: The official Chicago Open Air Pre-Party presented by 95 WIIL Rock and 100.7 QRock will be held at Concord Music Hall on Thursday, July 14. Otep headlines the show with Shaman’s Harvest, Islander and Through Fire supporting. Chicago Open Air ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets in advance for $10. Regular tickets are $17.

Chicago Open Air Inaugural Kickoff Dinner: In celebration of the inaugural Chicago Open Air festival and the great culinary city of Chicago, Danny Wimmer Presents will be throwing a special Chicago Open Air kickoff dinner presented by Chicago’s Goose & Fox and hosted by Jose Mangin of SiriusXM on Thursday, July 14 at 6:00 PM CDT. The BYOB dinner will feature five courses with seasonal and local ingredients from Midwestern farmers for $75.00. Limited tickets are on sale now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2560621.

Chicago Open Air Festival

Chicago Open Air Festival

Gourmet Man Food: Chicago Open Air will feature selections from Chicago-area favorites such as: Bruges Brothers (Braised Oxtail Poutine, Currywurst, Comeback Fish and Chips) ? Chicago Doghouse (Rattlesnake and Rabbit Sausage, Smoked Alligator Sausage, The Midway Monster Hot Dog) ? Crème Of The Crop Food Truck (Grown Up Mac & Cheese, Strawberry Chicken Wrap, Tater Skins) ? Dia De Los Tamales (Cuban Tamale, Spicy Black Bean and Corn Tamale, The Chicago Beef) ? Dinky’s Donuts ? International Spud Station (The Spudnik, Apollo-Mash, Nebula Chips) ? Kuma’s Corner (Led Zeppelin Burger, Iron Maiden Burger) ? Pizano’s (Chicago deep dish) ? The Happy Lobster (Happy Lobster Roll, The Angry Lobster Roll, Fried Lobster Mac And Cheese Bites) ? Yum Dum (Kimcheesy Fries, Braised Pork Belly Baos). Additional Gourmet Man Food vendors from around the country will include: Cheeze Louise (Salmon Grilled Cheese Melt or Bowl, Meat Lover’s Grilled Cheese, Fried Chicken Mac N Cheese Bowl) ? Cravin’ Cajun (Spicy Shrimp Po-Boy, Gator Critter Fritters, The Soft Shell Crab Sandwich) ? Master of Patties (The Brekky Burger, The Muffaletta Burger, The Beef Wellington) ? Pie Baby Wood-Fired Pizza.

Headbangers Beer Hall: This unique METAL themed bar is a 100×80 dive bar experience complete with Marshall amplifiers lining the back wall, a unique jukebox playing heavy metal music, rocker pinball machines, Chicago favorite Kuma’s Corner serving their signature metal themed burgers just next door, and more that will give fans a dark, heavy metal, craft beer and cocktail experience all on site at Chicago Open Air. The Headbangers Beer Hall will feature national and regional craft beers and artist inspired beverages including: Goose Island (Chicago – 312 Urban Wheat Ale, Four Star Pils), Half Acre Beer Company (Chicago - Daisy Cutter Pale Ale, Vallejo IPA, Pony Pilsner), Iron Maiden’s TROOPER Beer, Lagunitas (Petaluma, CA – IPA, A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’), Motörhead Wine, Surly (Minneapolis – Surly Hell Lager, Surly Furious IPA), Two Brothers Brewing (Chicago – seasonals TBA), and more to be announced. Look for unique experiences throughout the weekend with members of bands at the bar, as well as former MTV Headbangers Ball host and Cathouse founder Riki Rachtman playing some of his favorite songs and guest bartending during the weekend.

Kuma’s Corner: Offering the best burgers in Chicago, Kuma’s started in 2005 with its flagship location at the corner of Belmont and Francisco avenues in Chicago’s Avondale. From their origins as a corner bar with solid American bistro fare, they’ve grown to two locations that offer the finest burgers available on this planet or any other. Kuma’s ethos is simple: Support your community. Eat beef. Bang your head. Look for the official Chicago Open Air #GourmetManFood burger at Kuma’s, and for their full menu to be announced soon.

Monster Energy Experience/Sampling: Monster Energy will be keeping all fans fueled up and ready to rock by offering free sampling on their Monster Energy viewing deck. Enjoy Monster Energy drinks from one of the best seats in the house. Make sure to check back throughout the festival for a schedule of Monster Energy’s interactive artist experiences.

Jack Daniel’s Experience: “Taste of Tennessee” invites visitors to come out and tour the nation’s oldest registered distillery from outside the Jack Daniel’s Hollow. Visitors get to see (and smell) whiskey dripping slowly through charcoal and the new oak barrels used in maturing Tennessee’s finest whiskey. The Jack Daniel’s Experience is open to all fans, 21 years old and up, for tours free of charge. Stop by the Jack Daniel’s Experience for interactive engagements throughout the weekend.

The Music Experience: The Music Experience features all the elements that are involved in making music in a professional band setting. The interactive exhibit features guitars, basses, amps, drums, keyboards and electronic gear that are used by today’s most popular bands. The Music Experience has autograph signings and artist interactions throughout the day. Check Facebook and Instagram for the latest info on who will be hanging out at The Music Experience.

Keep Golf Metal: Keep Golf Metal is a movement that encourages festival attendees to play a 9 hole putt putt course with PGA level golf clubs provided by Rife Putters and MasterFit Custom Golf Clubs. Keep Golf Metal also has apparel that features designs that fuse the rock and golf worlds together.

f.y.e. Fan Experience: f.y.e. will be hosting the ultimate fan and artist interactive experiences throughout the festival. f.y.e. is the only place at the festival to get all your favorite band’s music – and maybe even get to meet your favorite Chicago Open Air performers. Check back for updates on artist meet and greet and autograph signing sessions.

Dyin 2 Live / Fxck Cancer: The F C Cancer Foundation’s mission is to fight cancer by raising awareness and to educate about early cancer detection, ultimately putting an end to late stage cancer diagnosis. The Dyin 2 Live wish granting program looks to enrich the lives of those fighting cancer by offering them an experience that will bring joy, hope, inspiration, and courage into their lives. In doing this, the program hopes it can help give the cancer fighter a chance to forget, even if it’s only for a day, what they are battling. The hope is that it can be used as a source of inspiration to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour.

Take Me Home Animal Rescue: Take Me Home is a not for profit, volunteer based foundation that has been saving the lives of homeless animals since 2001. Many families living in low-income areas cannot afford medical care, basic vaccinations, or spay/neuter surgeries for their companion animals. The donations raised help us to fund mobile veterinary hospitals to travel into these under-served areas to provide free spay and neuter, vaccinations, microchipping and administer medical care for animals in desperate need. Take Me Home also supports local animal charities. Come by the booth to help out our furry friends by buying a shirt, signed merchandise, and entering a raffle. Danny Wimmer, Founder, DWP, said, “DWP is proud to support various charities, giving them a national platform to promote their messages. We are particularly fond of Take Me Home, which advocates for animal adoption. I hope everyone stops by their booth and supports their fundraising efforts to help animals in need.” For more information, please visit: www.takemehome.tv.

Official Chicago Open Air After-Show Events:

Friday, July 15: Helmet with Tight Phantomz at Double Door (1551 N. Damen Ave., Chicago)

Saturday, July 16: Carcass with Deafheaven at Metro (3730 N. Clark Street, Chicago)

The daily music lineup for Chicago Open Air is as follows:

Friday, July 15: Rammstein, Chevelle, Ministry, Of Mice & Men, Meshuggah, The Devil Wears Prada, In This Moment, Hollywood Undead, Trivium, Hatebreed, Periphery, Drowning Pool, Butcher Babies, Through Fire

Saturday, July 16: Disturbed, Korn, Breaking Benjamin, Alter Bridge, Gojira, Helmet, Deafheaven, Carcass, Pop Evil, Nothing More, Saint Asonia, Miss May I, Beartooth, Silver Snakes, City Of The Weak

Sunday, July 17: Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch, Marilyn Manson, Bullet For My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, BABYMETAL, Asking Alexandria, Corrosion Of Conformity, All That Remains, letlive., We Came As Romans, Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy, Upon A Burning Body, Gemini Syndrome

Chicago Open Air is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, Live Nation and Toyota Park, with the support of the Village of Bridgeview and Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek.

Festival doors open at 11:00 AM each day and the show ends at 11:30 PM on Friday, 11:00 PM on Saturday, and 10:00 PM on Sunday.

Chicago Open Air sponsors include: Monster Energy, Jack Daniel’s, f.y.e., Dyin 2 Live / Fxck Cancer, Take Me Home Animal Rescue, El Jimador Tequila, The Music Experience, Roadrunner Records, Century Media Records and more to be announced.

Website: www.ChicagoOpenAir.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/chiopenair

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chiopenair

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiopenair

RayHananiaINN

RayHananiaINN

Managing Editor at Illinois News Network
Ray Hanania is senior blogger for the Illinois News Network news site. He is an award winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and columnist who covered the beat from 1976 through 1992 (From Mayor Daley to Mayor Daley). And, Hanania is a stubborn and loud critic of the biased mainstream American news media.

Hanania covered Chicago political beats including Chicago City Hall while at the Daily Southtown Newspapers (1976-1985) and later for the Chicago Sun-Times (1985-1992). He published The Villager Community Newspapers covering 12 Southwest suburban regions (1993-1997). Hanania also hosted live political news radio talkshows on WLS AM (1980 - 1991), and also on WBBM FM, WLUP FM, WSBC AM in Chicago, and WNZK AM in Detroit.

The recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, Hanania was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media;In 2009, he received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. Hananiaalso received two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild, and in 1990 was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

Hanania writes columns for the Southwest Community Newspaper Group including the Des Plaines Valley News, the Southwest News-Herald, the Regional News and the Reporter Newspapers.
RayHananiaINN

About the Author

RayHananiaINN
Ray Hanania is senior blogger for the Illinois News Network news site. He is an award winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and columnist who covered the beat from 1976 through 1992 (From Mayor Daley to Mayor Daley). And, Hanania is a stubborn and loud critic of the biased mainstream American news media. Hanania covered Chicago political beats including Chicago City Hall while at the Daily Southtown Newspapers (1976-1985) and later for the Chicago Sun-Times (1985-1992). He published The Villager Community Newspapers covering 12 Southwest suburban regions (1993-1997). Hanania also hosted live political news radio talkshows on WLS AM (1980 - 1991), and also on WBBM FM, WLUP FM, WSBC AM in Chicago, and WNZK AM in Detroit. The recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, Hanania was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media; In 2009, he received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. Hanania also received two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild, and in 1990 was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada. Hanania writes columns for the Southwest Community Newspaper Group including the Des Plaines Valley News, the Southwest News-Herald, the Regional News and the Reporter Newspapers.