FAQ

The festival takes place at United Center Lot C, located at 1901 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60612. The main entrance is at the intersection of Madison & Wood.

Thursday, July 10: 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM CT
Friday, July 11: 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM CT
Saturday, July 12: 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM CT
Sunday, July 13: 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM CT

*Festival gates open for those with BBQ Brunch wristbands at 11:30 AM CT on Sunday. The BBQ Brunch (now sold out) must be purchased with 4-Day and Sunday wristbands, and requires a separate wristband for entry.

Festival gates open at 11:30 AM CT on Sunday for those attending the sold out BBQ Brunch experience. A separate BBQ Brunch wristband is required for entry, in addition to a 4-Day or Sunday wristband. 

GA wristbands provide access to the festival grounds, including music performances and general food vendor areas. Food and beverages are purchased separately.

Children 10 and under are free in GA when accompanied by a paying adult. This does not apply to VIP or Platinum—children must have a wristband to enter these areas. Strollers are welcome.

Yes! There are shaded lounge areas, tents and seating available throughout the grounds for comfort and sun relief.

Yes! Download the Windy City Smokeout app for set times, maps, real-time updates, and exclusive content.

Yes! Outside of music and BBQ, we’ll have several boutique and retail pop-ups on Rodeo Drive, as well as scheduled events on each festival day. 

Yes! Re-entry is allowed as long as you’re wearing your valid wristband.

Absolutely! Beyond the incredible live music and world-class BBQ, Windy City Smokeout features a curated selection of retail pop-ups along Rodeo Drive, our dedicated shopping row. You’ll find interactive brand experiences and exclusive merchandise from fan-favorite names like Aviator Nation, Tecovas, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, Uncommon James, and more. Plus, enjoy scheduled activations and special events happening throughout each day of the festival.

ALL bags must be 10” x 6” x 2“ or under, with the exception of breast pumps and medical bags.

Allowed:

• Small clutches
• Blankets
• Medical bags
• Diaper bags
• Totes
• Strollers
• Cameras (basic point-and-shoot consumer-grade cameras) without detachable lenses or accessories
• Sunscreen in non-aerosol containers (3.4 ounces or less)

Prohibited:

• Coolers
• Outside food and drink
• Lawn/folding chairs
• Aerosol containers (including sunscreen)
• Professional cameras/audio/recording equipment
• Drones and remote-controlled devices
• Glass containers
• Weapons, fireworks, explosives
• Illegal substances
• Airhorns
• Umbrellas
• Flag poles
• Laser pointers
• Pets (except service animals)
• Skateboards, scooters, bikes, motorized vehicles
• Tents or shade structures
• Unauthorized/unlicensed vendors or solicitation materials
• Wallet/bike chains over 12” long
• Costumes or masks (excluding medical/safety)
• Clothing or signage with offensive or vulgar language or blocks attendees’ view
• Any other items deemed dangerous or inappropriate

Yes! Strollers are welcome. Please be mindful of crowd flow and avoid blocking walkways or exits.

Yes — medical bags, like diaper bags, are permitted. All bags are subject to security screening upon entry.

No — but you can pack poncho!

Cameras (basic point-and-shoot consumer-grade cameras) without detachable lenses or accessories are allowed. Professional cameras/audio/recording equipment are prohibited without proper media / photography credentials

The Box Office will be open on the following dates and times:

• Thursday, July 10: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

• Friday, July 11: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

• Saturday, July 12: 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM

• Sunday, July 13: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

The Box Office and Will Call tent is located at the intersection of Madison Street and Wood St, just outside the main entrance to the festival.

For wristband issues—including incorrect information, shipping address changes, or upgrades—contact FrontGate Tickets directly at order-support@frontgatetickets.com. Include the event name and city in your subject line, your 8-digit Order ID, last 4 digits of your payment card, phone number associated with the order, and a brief description of the issue. 

For all other questions, please email WCSmokeout@lettuce.com.

Please do not purchase wristbands from other third-party sites or people. They are not authorized sellers and we cannot guarantee the legitimacy of wristbands. To be safe, you should only purchase through our website or the TicketMaster Verified Ticket Exchange.

We cannot confirm or access any information for purchases made on third-party sites. We recommend reaching out directly to the website that you purchased from with any questions/issues. 

Unfortunately, we don’t offer refunds of any kind. If you purchased insurance for your order, please reach out to the insurance provider and they can assist you with your refund.

You can resell your wristbands securely through our official TicketMaster Exchange Verified Resale site, found HERE.

Once your wristbands sells, TicketMaster usually processes refunds within 7–10 business days to your original payment method. Questions? Call TicketMaster Resale at (800) 842-7112.

You can register your wristband here: Wristband Registration. Please note that you do not need to register your wristband in order to use it. The wristbands come ready to use. You only need to register the band if you would like to link a credit card.

Need help or want to unlink a card? Email support@billfoldpos.com.

Yes. To unlink a payment card from your wristband, please email support@billfoldpos.com.

Wristbands are mailed mid-June, a few weeks prior to the festival. FrontGate will provide an email with tracking information (including a link) that will have the most up-to-date information on your order.

Yes! We can issue a replacement for you at Will Call, located at the festival entrance (corner of Madison and Wood). Please bring your photo ID and order confirmation number to replace your wristband. A $5 fee may apply.

Yes—upgrades are available while supplies last. To request an upgrade, email order-support@frontgatetickets.com with your Order ID and the wristband level you’d like to upgrade to.

Yes, wristbands are waterproof and designed to stay secure all weekend.

There is a 10-wristband purchase limit per order. For group sales, please contact smokeoutevents@lettuce.com.

If wristbands become available, we’ll contact people on the waitlist via email in the order they joined. Keep an eye on your inbox (and spam folder!) for any updates. Availability is limited and not guaranteed, so we recommend acting quickly if you receive a notification.

Yes! Someone else can pick up your wristbands as long as they have a photo of your valid ID (like a driver’s license) and your order confirmation email or order number.

No problem! You can pick up a replacement wristband at Will Call for a $5 replacement fee. Be sure to bring the original wristband and your order confirmation number.

No problem! You can pick up a replacement wristband at Will Call for a $5 replacement fee. Be sure to bring the original wristband and your order confirmation number.

Purchasing wristbands online in advance is highly recommended to guarantee entry and potentially secure better pricing. Wristbands may be available at the Box Office (Will Call tent), but availability is not guaranteed and prices may vary.

Yes! While we’re best known for BBQ, many of our vendors offer delicious options to accommodate dietary needs. Full menus are available in the app. We’d recommend double-checking with individual vendors about specific menu items. 

Guests with food allergies are also permitted to bring in outside food as long as it fits within the allotted bag size (10” x 6” x 2“ or under). Please just let security know that you have an allergy and show them this email or medical documentation if verification is needed

Outside food and drinks are not permitted, with the exception of medically necessary items. Guests with food allergies are permitted to bring in outside food as long as it fits within the allotted bag size (10” x 6” x 2“ or under). Please just let security know that you have an allergy and show them this email or medical documentation if verification is needed

To limit the number of touch points between team members and fans, all food, beverage, and retail/merchandise transactions are cashless. Major credit cards as well as mobile pay are accepted throughout the event.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. For all food and drink refund inquiries, please reach out directly to receipts@bestringpos.com, and their team will be happy to assist you.

In addition to alcoholic beverages, we offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages and soft drinks throughout the festival grounds.

Wintrust Debit Cardholders will receive express entry through VIP lanes at the main festival entrance (located at the corner of Madison St. & Wood St.). Just show your debit card (physical or digital) to verify.

Score yours today!