Wednesday

One of the hottest names in country music will be bringing their bombastic live show to Windy City Smokeout. Treaty Oak Revival will play a special kickoff show Wednesday night before the festivities kick off. Their latest record, West Texas Degenerate, hit number one on Billboards Top Rock Albums and Top Americana/Folk Albums shortly after its release last fall. Their tour kicks through Des Moines at The Casey’s Center on August 7th. Treaty Oak Revival will continue their second leg of the “West Texas Degenerate Tour” hitting the stage in Chicago at 8:00 pm.

Wednesday night might only have three artists but it is well worth showing up as Treaty Oak Revival will be joined by Braxton Keith and Sterling Elza. Keith released his first full length album on May 14th, Real Damn Deal, that harkens back to a rooted and groovy country. He has had a busy year touring the record including an opening slot for Riley Green on his Australian tour in April. Keith will play at 6:25 pm.

Sterling Elza will begin the evening at 5:15 pm with a heavy dose of his latest EP Bag of Bones that released in March.

Thursday

Darius Rucker brings his rocking band Hootie and The Blowfish back to Chicago on Thursday night. Their 1994 debut record, Cracked Rear View, was a smashing success on alt and country radio reaching 2x Diamond status from Billboard. With hits like “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be With You” reaching top 10 in the US upon its release, this set has been circled on my calendar for months. With only three tour dates on the books this year, Hootie and the Blowfish are a special booking that will be taking the stage at 8:25 pm.

Scotty McCreery, from American Idol fame, has made a special career from the show as he marches on into his 15th year releasing music. His deep tone is reminiscent of Josh Turner and other country greats, evoking a warm and grounded feeling in his songs. A recent collaboration with Hootie and The Blowfish, “Bottle Rockets“, combines elements of “Hold My Hand” in this new tune. McCreery will be taking the stage at 6:50 pm.

Ghost Hounds is a young band with a bluesy and driven sound that has been earned the support of legends like The Rolling Stones and Garth Brooks. Their debut record Roses are Black released in 2019 was a fresh sound in the country scene and their latest record Justified will release August 21st. Ghost Hounds plays at 5:30

Hailing from Canada, Noeline Hoffman has joined the ranks of the most promising rising stars in country. Playing gigs throughout Alberta, Hoffman caught the eye of Zach Bryan who asked to collaborate on her song “Purple Gas“. The following two years were filled with opening slots for artists like Charley Crockett, headlining shows around North America and her debut at The Grand Ole Opry. She most recently was nominated for “Breakout Artist of the Year” at the JUNO Awards and jsut released her laatest single “Dublin Blues“. Noeline Hoffman will play at 4:25.

Being a performer has always drawn Karley Scott Collins, whether it be the screen or the stage. Starring in films like “Hottie and the Nottie” in 2006, to two decades later plying The Opry, there is a common thread running through Collins life. Her 2025 debut album, Flight Risk, was a 16 song journey through what has been an adventorous life. Collins latest single, “Leavin’ On My Mind“, dropped on June 26th.

Friday

Lainey Wilson has had a hold on the country world for some time now, quickly launching into the Nashville scene right out of high school. After seven years of independent releases, Wilson signed with BBR and released the single “Dirty Looks“. Her most recent album Whirlwind was nominated for Best Country Album at The Grammy’s in 2025 along with an onslaught of Country Music Association Awards wins and nominations. Wilson will play headline at 8:30 pm.

Hudson Westbrook had to have a very difficult conversation with his parents when his song “Take It Slow” got out of his usual audience online. Dropping out of college to pursue music is a risky thing for most but became a sure fire yes for Westbrook in 2024. His first record Texas Forever reached 6 on the US Country charts along with 2x Platinum Certification for his single “House Again“. Hudson Westbrook will play at 6:50 pm.

Vincent Mason has something special in his voice, the likes of Megan Maroney and Luke Bryan agree playing opening slots for both. His career, while young, has not been void of accomplishments including a 2026 nomination for The Academy of Country Music’s New Male Artist of the Year Award. His latest record There I Go released last November. Mason will play at 5:10 pm.

The Belmont University alumni Mackenzie Carpenter has been on a tear in 2026, releasing four singles. Heart That Don’t Break, is the latest in this selection as she balances her own songs with her extensive of co-writing credits. Her first full length record, Hey Country Queen, put her on the map in Nashville as she continues touring the album throughout the rest of 2026. Carpenter will play at 4:00 pm.

Chandler Walters has stepped into the spotlight after writing countless hits for some of the biggest stars in Nashville. His latest single “Break Your Heart” released in March of this past year. Walters takes the stage at 3:00 pm.

Saturday

Hailing from Louisiana, Jordan Davis is Saturday nights headliner. With three studio albums under his belt, including 2025’s Learn the Hard Way, Davis’ set begins at 8:20 pm.

Russel Dickerson is continuing his streak of #1 singles with “Happen to Me” from his 2025 album Famous Back Home. Over a decade and a half of touring and recording music hasn’t slowed Dickerson down as his live shows have become a must see for country fans. Russel Dickerson takes the stage at 6:30 pm.

One half of the beloved country duo Florida-Georgia Line is Tyler Hubbard. The veteran of the industry has established himself as a solo artist releasing two LP’s, Tyler Hubbard and Strong that both charted on in the US Country’s Top 40 upon release. Hubbard plays at 4:45 pm.

From a small town of under 1,000 in South Carolina, Blake Whiten has grown well out of his shell to a nationally touring artist. At just 21 years old, his 2025 EP Six Mile made him a presence in the scene. Whiten plays at 3:30 pm.

Sunday

Blake Shelton has been at the forefront of the Nashville country scene for over two decades, collecting 17 consecutive #1 singles on the US Country charts. Moving to Tennessee at just 17 years old, its been all gas for Shelton who takes the stage at 8:00 pm.

Warren Zeiders is four albums in and has charted with 2 of them, 50% is a great percentage. His 2023 release Pretty Little Posion earned a Gold Certification from RIAA. Zeiders plays 6:10 pm.

George Birge is Texas to Tennessee transplant who has one record, Mind On You, under his belt. He blends the modern Nashville sound with touches of his Texan upbringing. Birge plays at 4:45

Carter Faith has had a quick start to her career, releasing her first song in July 2021 and playing the Ryman Auditorium just 12 months later. Her first full length record Cherry Valley released in October of 2025. Faith takes the stage at 3:30 pm.

B-B-Q

The other half of this festival is a hub for over 20 of the countries finest Pit Masters. Many are based in Chicago but there are some traveling across zip codes, state lines, and time zones. Whether its nachos, ribs, brisket, or any other barbecue desire, Windy City Smokeout has you covered. You can view the full BBQ lineup here.

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