Ravinia Festival Emergency Operations Plan

Project Overview

The Ravinia Festival, the oldest outdoor music festival in the United States, is nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan, just north of Chicago. While it offers a unique cultural experience, its location also exposes the festival to various risks—both natural and manmade—that could disrupt operations and threaten the safety of attendees and staff. To mitigate these risks and safeguard its large-scale events, Ravinia sought to develop a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).

Understanding the Mission

Ravinia engaged Hagerty to design a tailored, all-hazards EOP and facilitate tabletop exercises (TTX) involving both staff and external stakeholders.

The Hagerty Approach

Hagerty assembled an Emergency Planning Team, uniting key Ravinia personnel, venue stakeholders, transportation authorities, and public safety officials from neighboring municipalities. This collaborative team worked together to define the goals and objectives of the emergency response plan.

Next, Hagerty conducted a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) to identify potential threats and evaluate their impacts. With this analysis, Hagerty developed the EOP framework to address the identified risks. The plan outlined clear response and recovery procedures for each scenario, assigning roles for internal and external stakeholders, and detailed operational checklists for departmental execution.

Additionally, Hagerty helped Ravinia’s senior management establish an Emergency Operations Center (EOC)—a centralized hub for communication during large-scale events, such as concerts drawing up to 18,000 attendees. Hagerty also recommended creating Watch Officer positions to oversee the EOC’s operations. These officers would ensure continuous monitoring and real-time distribution of critical information before, during, and after major events.

Achieving Results

Ravinia successfully adopted and implemented Hagerty’s recommendations. After reviewing the EOP, Hagerty conducted two TTXs in line with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). The first exercise involved Ravinia’s staff, while the second expanded to include external stakeholders, such as municipal first responders and Metra officials.

Hagerty led both exercises and documented the results in an After Action Report (AAR). The report provided an analysis of strengths, areas for improvement, and actionable recommendations for refining the EOP. The team presented the final report to Ravinia’s executive team, which formally approved the updated plan. As a result, Ravinia is now better prepared to respond to potential emergencies, ensuring a safer, more resilient festival experience.