Cantigny Jazz & Wine Fest features music, wine in the gardens, and more
The first “signature” event of Cantigny’s summer calendar is set for Sunday, June 23.
Tickets for the Cantigny Jazz and Wine Fest are on sale now at Cantigny.org, including premium VIP experiences.
The festival spreads throughout the Cantigny gardens and grounds, with five performers on two stages from noon until 6 p.m.
Four wine tasting stations will accompany the top tier entertainment, headlined by sensational jazz vocalist and three-time Grammy winner, Dee Dee Bridgewater, appearing as We Exist! The Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet at 4:30 p.m.
Cantigny’s festival partner is WDCB Public Radio, “Chicago’s Home for Jazz.”
The station, based at College of DuPage, has curated an exciting lineup that includes the Derek Duleba Organ Trio at noon, Carmen Stokes at 1:30 p.m., and the Frank Russell Quintet at 3 p.m.
The High-Hat Second Line Brass Band will lead a brassy New Orleans-style street parade through the park at 4:15 p.m.
You also can catch performances by the Michael Shebar Duo at 12:25 p.m. or the Erik Skov Duo at 3:25 p.m. at the Gold Pond, or the Matt Shevitz Trio at 1:55 p.m. at the beer garden.
As the music wafts across Cantigny, oenophiles can sample an upscale selection of wines for summer sipping.
Up to 20 varietals will be offered, many of them French, befitting Cantigny’s 2024 programming theme, “France at Cantigny.”
This year’s summer gardens feature whimsical displays inspired by the 17th century fables of Jean de La Fontaine.
A wide assortment of meal and snack options will be available for purchase, provided by Cantigny’s in-house culinary team.
Choices include the popular Artisanal Snack Tote for Two ($60), which can be ordered in advance for pick up at the festival. It features artisanal cheeses, crispy crackers and nuts, seasonal fresh-cut fruit, fresh vegetables and hummus, wild rice salad, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, and two 20 oz. bottles of LIFEWTR.
Jazz and Wine Fest admission is $75 per person, or $50 for a music-only ticket without wine tastings.
Tickets for guests under age 21 are $30. Parking is included.
The gates open at 11 a.m. on June 23, with music beginning at noon, rain or shine. Coolers and outside alcohol are prohibited.
McCormick House Experience
All-day access to the newly renovated McCormick House is available during Jazz and Wine Fest and includes elegant hospitality experiences ($250).
The package features two culinary flights (11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.) with a chilled seafood and raw bar, Wagyu beef sliders, lobster vol-au-vents, prime rib carving station, assorted fresh-baked mini desserts, and many other savory delights.
Guests also receive private open bar service in Freedom Hall, Colonel McCormick’s iconic library — order wine, cocktails, beer, and soft drinks at the art-deco style “hidden bar.”
Benefits extend outside as well, including reserved seating areas with beverage service next to the main stages.
Jazz Soiree at McCormick House
An exciting prelude to Cantigny Jazz and Wine Fest is planned for Friday, June 21.
New for 2024, the Jazz Soiree offers an exclusive evening of live jazz, cocktails, wine, and elegant dining inside historic McCormick House. The event includes a private performance by operatic soprano Gabrielle Goudard.
Tickets for Jazz Soiree are advance-sale only and limited ($175 per guest).
For more information about Cantigny, including hours, permanent attractions, and upcoming events, visit Cantigny.org.
About Cantigny
Cantigny, in Wheaton, Illinois, is the 500-acre estate of Colonel Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955), longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, and founder of the Chicago-based Robert R. McCormick Foundation. It is home to gardens, walking trails, a museum dedicated to the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, a highly ranked 27-hole public golf course, and a golf academy for all ages. More information is online at Cantigny.org, including hours, admission fees and upcoming events.