Few times of the year arrive packing as much emotional baggage as late August. The pools are closing, summer is ending, all the live music concerts head back indoors and the season of pumpkin spice lattes looms just ahead, ready or not.
The Tribune votes “or not.” In defiance of the calendar, here are 50 outdoor concerts in the weeks ahead to hang on to that part of summer, starting with Chris Brown and Mötley Crüe this weekend and wrapping up with Deadmau5 on Navy Pier in October.
August
Chris Brown and Usher Raymond on “The R&B Tour” at Soldier Field Aug. 21-22; soldierfield.com
Alabama Shakes at Ravinia Festival on Aug. 21; ravinia.org
Bonnie Raitt at Ravinia Festival on Aug. 22; ravinia.org
Galantis with TELYKAST at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Aug. 22; saltshedchicago.com
Mötley Crüe with “The Return of The Carnival of Sins” at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 22; livenation.com
Third Eye Blind at RiverEdge Park in Aurora on Aug. 23; paramountaurora.com
Sunset Jazz with Elan Trotman as part of City Cruises Live series on Aug. 23; cityexperiences.com
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Outlaw Festival with Willie Nelson, Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on Aug. 25; livenation.com
Billy Branch with Tuesdays on the Terrace at the MCA on Aug. 25; mcachicago.org
Brandi Carlile at Ravinia Festival on Aug. 26; ravinia.org
Kool & The Gang at Ravinia Festival on Aug. 27; ravinia.org
BTS at Soldier Field Aug. 27-28; soldierfield.com
Chicago House Music Festival and Conference at Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park Aug. 27-30; ChicagoHouseMusicFestival.org
Kesha at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 29; livenation.com
Miranda Lambert at Ravinia Festival on Aug. 30; ravinia.org
September
John Fogerty with Steve Winwood at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 3; livenation.com
Ye with “Live in Chicago” at Soldier Field Aug. Sept. 3-4; soldierfield.com
Chicago Jazz Festival at Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park: Sept. 3-6; ChicagoJazzFestival.us
Wu-Tang Clan with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber” tour at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 4; livenation.com
Babymetal at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on Sept. 4; livenation.com
Snoop Dogg at Ravinia Festival on Sept. 4; ravinia.org
Arc Music Festival with Michael Bibi, Sara Landry and Underworld in Union Park Sept. 4-7; arcmusicfestival.com
North Coast Music Festival at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview Sept. 4-6; northcoastfestival.com
Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 5; livenation.com
O.A.R. with “Three Decades Tour” at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on Sept. 6; livenation.com
Salt-N-Pepa and TLC at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on Sept. 8; livenation.com
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Cheap Trick at RiverEdge Park in Aurora on Sept. 10; paramountaurora.com
Erykah Badu at Ravinia Festival on Sept. 10; ravinia.org
Pravdafest at Fitzgerald’s indoors and patio on Sept. 12; fitzgeraldsnightclub.com
Alison Krauss and Union Station at Ravinia Festival on Sept. 12; ravinia.org
Evanston Folk Festival with Trampled by Turtles, Indigo Girls, Josh Ritter and Kathleen Edwards Sept. 12-13; evanstonfolkfestival.com
Pitbull at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 13; livenation.com
Liz Phair and Sleater-Kinney at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Sept. 17; saltshedchicago.com
The B-52s and Devo with “Cosmic De-Evolution Tour” at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 17; livenation.com
Riot Festival with Twenty One Pilots, Morrissey, Pierce the Veil and Alanis Morissette in Douglass Park Sept. 18-20; riotfest.org
Martina McBride to conclude Hunter Pavilion concerts at Ravinia Festival on Sept. 19; ravinia.org
Tim McGraw at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 19; livenation.com
Summer’s Last Dance in Bridgeview on Sept. 19; summerslastdance.com
Role Model at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Sept. 19-20; saltshedchicago.com
Iron Maiden with “Run For Your Lives World Tour” at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 22; livenation.com
Two Door Cinema Club 15th anniversary tour at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Sept. 24; saltshedchicago.com
Los Gallos at Fitzgerald’s patio on Sept. 26; fitzgeraldsnightclub.com
Thee Sacred Souls, La Lom and Womack Sisters at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Sept. 26; saltshedchicago.com
October
Ministry and Acid Bath with Windhand at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Oct. 3; saltshedchicago.com
Fuerza Regida with “This Is Our Dream Tour 2026” as the closing concerts at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Oct. 3-4; livenation.com
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Malcolm Todd with “Do That Again Tour” at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Oct. 6-7; saltshedchicago.com
Interpol with DIIV as the final outdoor show at Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Oct. 11; saltshedchicago.com
Country Cruisin’ with Chris Lane as part of City Cruises Live series on Oct. 13; cityexperiences.com
Charlotte de Witte on Navy Pier’s East End Plaza on Oct. 16; navypier.org
Deadmau5 on Navy Pier’s East End Plaza on Oct. 17; navypier.org