Windy City Smokeout 2026: BBQ, Country & Where to Eat Near the United Center
Windy City Smokeout returns to the United Center lot July 8-12, 2026, with Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, Hootie & the Blowfish, and championship BBQ. Here's the lineup and the West Loop bars and deals around it.
Windy City Smokeout is Chicago's big BBQ-and-country weekend, championship pitmasters and stadium-country headliners in the United Center lot. It's back July 8-12, 2026, and the 2026 bill is stacked.
We track tens of thousands of live Chicago deals at 312Deals. Here's the rundown, plus where to eat and drink around the United Center.
Before or after the Smokeout? See today's live West Loop deals, the neighborhood's bars and restaurants a short walk east, updated daily.
When & where
- Wednesday July 8 - Sunday July 12, 2026
- United Center parking lot, Near West Side (just west of the West Loop)
- Hours: 2 - 10 PM Wed-Fri, 1 - 10 PM Sat-Sun
- Tickets: it's a ticketed festival, passes at windycitysmokeout.com
The 2026 lineup
Country and roots headliners Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, and Hootie & the Blowfish, with Scotty McCreery, Treaty Oak Revival, and more across the weekend, plus a fifth headliner still to be announced. The other half of the bill is the BBQ, championship pitmasters slinging brisket, ribs, and smoked everything.
Eat & drink near the United Center
The Smokeout is BBQ-forward, but the West Loop is a short walk or quick rideshare east, and it's one of the best eating-and-drinking neighborhoods in the city, Randolph Street's Restaurant Row, breweries, and rooftops. Line up a happy hour before you head in, or a proper dinner after:
Tips
- Rideshare or take the L — parking around the United Center is tight on festival days; the Green and Pink Lines (Ashland) and buses run close.
- Go hungry — the BBQ is the point; pace the brisket.
- Weekday sessions (Wed-Fri) start at 2 PM and run calmer than the weekend.
Frequently asked questions
When is Windy City Smokeout 2026? Wednesday July 8 through Sunday July 12, 2026, in the United Center parking lot. Hours are 2-10 PM Wed-Fri and 1-10 PM Sat-Sun.
Who is playing? Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, and Hootie & the Blowfish headline, with Scotty McCreery, Treaty Oak Revival, and more, plus a fifth headliner to be announced.
Where is it? The United Center parking lot on the Near West Side, a short walk or rideshare from the West Loop.
Is it free? No, it's ticketed, passes are at windycitysmokeout.com. The West Loop spots nearby are the free-to-browse move around it.
The takeaway
Windy City Smokeout is the summer's best excuse to eat championship BBQ and catch big country acts in one lot, then walk it off in the West Loop. Grab passes early, and let 312Deals sort the happy hours around it.
Lineups, set times, and prices can change, always confirm with windycitysmokeout.com. Data current as of July 2026.
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