Ravinia Festival's Box Office To Open 5/17

Ravinia Festival's Box Office officially opens for walk-up sales on Saturday, May 17 during a day filled with discounts, the chance to purchase pavilion seating to some sold-out concerts and promotions and samples from some of Ravinia's sponsors. All in-person purchases will be discounted by 20 percent on May 17 only (discounts are not available for the July 19 Gala Benefit Evening). Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Please note that based on past experience, customers may begin lining up prior to this time.

Tickets to the 2008 season will be sold throughout Box Office Opening Day. A limited number of additional, temporary seats, will be added to the pavilion for some sold-out events and tickets for those seats will be sold exclusively at Box Office Opening Day to in-person customers on a first-come, first-served basis (limited to four per ticket-buyer).

The opening-day festivities will be broadcast live on the grounds by 98.7 WFMT,  the Official Classical Music Station of Ravinia Festival. The broadcast will feature glimpses of the complete Ravinia season and will include live interviews with artists appearing during the 2008 season. Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman will join WFMT host Carl Grapentine on the air to discuss the summer season beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until 1:30 p.m. inside Ravinia's new dining pavilion. 

Also in the dining pavilion will be an area filled with samplings and promotions featuring some of Ravinia's sponsors and advertisers. Levy Restaurants will sample lemonade and assorted desserts from their current menu and the Irish Dairy Board will provide samples of their famous cheeses. North Shore Auto Group will promote activites in the local community and at their store location and the Midtown Athletic Club will feature information about their community programs such as getting fit and open sports lessons. National City Bank will raffle off Ravinia chairs and tables and Verizon will raffle phone products and services. 

Terlato Wines International announces a season-long photo picnic contest entitled "Ultimate Ravinia Picnic," where patrons can send in photos of their stylish gatherings on the lawn enjoying Rutherford Hill wine. Photos can be submitted from May 31-Aug. 20 and winners will be announced on Aug. 31. Full contest details are available at www.raviniawines.com

Ravinia's 2008 season presents a diverse lineup of more than 150 events over 101 days, with 30 debuts, 11 premieres, 70 classical music programs, and over 140 guest artists and ensembles including the summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra featuring Ravinia Festival Music Director James Conlon. Guest artists include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Itzhak Perlman, Lang Lang, Sarah Chang, Nicole Cabell, Joshua Bell, Samuel Ramey, Denyce Graves, Bernard Haitink, Kronos Quartet featuring Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, Emerson String Quartet, Barbara Cook, Dianne Reeves, Dave Brubeck, Betty Buckley, Kurt Elling, Joffrey Ballet, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, Feist, Gipsy Kings, Robert Plant/Alison Krauss, Willie Nelson, Tony Bennett, Donna Summer and many others.

Tickets to Ravinia events are now available online, prior to the box-office opening, at www.ravinia.org. Orders are also being accepted now by fax at (847) 266-0641 or through mail by sending a printable online order form and payment to Ravinia Festival, P.O. Box 896, Highland Park, IL 60035. Phone orders at (847) 266-5100 and walk-up sales will be accepted beginning May 18 and will continue throughout the season Monday-Saturday  10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays and holidays (closed July 4) 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ravinia Festival is located at Lake Cook and Green Bay roads in Highland Park.