Chicago’s wildest concert series returns this summer as Brookfield Zoo Chicago sets the stage for its annual Roaring Nights summer concert series. Two music-packed weekends offer an expanded concert experience and powerhouse lineup with performances by Melissa Etheridge on June 7, Blues Traveler on July 24 and Nelly on July 25.  Guests can make a full day of adventure before the stage lights up, as every Roaring Nights ticket this year also includes full-day admission to the Zoo on the day of the concert, free Main Entrance parking, and unlimited Ferris Wheel and Carousel rides. This year’s summer concert lineup includes:   

• June 7 at 7 p.m.: Melissa Etheridge rose to fame in the late 1980s and ’90s with Grammy-winning rock hits like “Bring Me Some Water,” “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window.” She later earned an Academy Award for “I Need to Wake Up” from the documentary An Inconvenient Truth and became known for her raw lyrics, raspy vocals and personal resilience after coming out publicly and surviving breast cancer.

• July 25 at 7:30 p.m.: Nelly will heat up the stage and close out the series with era-defining hits like “Hot in Herre,” “Ride with Me” and “Dilemma.” The Grammy Award-winning superstar brings chart-topping swagger and crowd-hyping energy that helped shape 2000s hip-hop and continues to ignite audiences today. 

More information and tickets will be available at brookfieldzoo.org/events/roaring-nights-concerts. 

Photo Credit: Brookfield Zoo