JOB DETAILS

Gate Staff

CompanyRavinia Festival Association
LocationHighland Park
Work ModeOn Site
PostedMarch 23, 2026
About The Company
Ravinia Festival®, North America’s oldest music festival, stands today as its most musically diverse, presenting over 100 different events throughout the summer. These concerts run the gamut from Yo-Yo Ma to John Legend to the annual summer residency of the nation’s finest orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Jeff Haydon is Ravinia’s President and CEO, bringing more than two decades of arts management and programming experience to the top job, as well as a lifelong love of music as both an avid audience member and musician. Haydon is dedicated to building on the “Ravinia experience,” including inspiring and enabling communities to engage with music through the festival’s Reach Teach Play programs. One of the world’s most accomplished conductors, Marin Alsop is Chief Conductor and Curator for multiple weeks of concerts with the CSO. The festival employs a full-time staff of about 55 year-round, but that number grows tenfold when summer arrives and seasonal jobs go to ushers, food service, phone center operators, and others who help the show to go on. Ravinia also runs its prestigious summer music conservatory, the Steans Music Institute, on its grounds. Each year, 60–70 talented young professional musicians from around the world are awarded fully paid fellowships to come work with an esteemed faculty and the headliners who frequent the festival. The 36-acre park, just north of Chicago, is nestled in a gently wooded area that makes it an enchanting place to experience music, whether in the 3,350-seat open-air Pavilion and the surrounding Lawn, or indoors in the 850-seat Martin Theatre or 450-seat Bennett Gordon Hall. Guests can bring their own picnics or enjoy food and drinks from the restaurants and bars in the park. Children up to age 15 and high-school and college students are admitted free to the Lawn for classical performances.
About the Role

Position Title: Gate Staff

Department: Guest Experience

Reports To: Ryan Pena

Range: $15.25/hr, non-exempt


Company Description

At Ravinia, we believe in the transformative power of shared, live-music moments and their ability to inspire individuals, strengthen communities, and foster a more connected world.

Beyond presenting outstanding performances by the world’s greatest musicians, our mission as a not-for-profit organization is to develop broader, more diverse audiences and performers in the music industry with our Reach Teach Play® community engagement and education programs, our Steans Institute’s collaborative and experiential artistic training programs, and more. Together, Ravinia’s initiatives serve tens of thousands of students, families, and emerging professional musicians.

Our 36-acre park is home to North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events, featuring a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers, make up a typical summer season across our open-air and indoor stages, including the annual residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Job Description:

The Ravinia Gate Staff handles all entry into the park, scanning tickets and passes while enforcing Ravinia’s entry policies and upholding Ravinia’s core values. This position requires excellent guest service and communication skills.

The Ravinia Gate Staff is a part-time seasonal position, averaging 12 - 15 hours per week. Afternoon, evening, and weekend hours are required.  Weekly hours and shift times will vary depending on the concert schedule. The Ravinia season begins early July and runs through mid-September.

This position pays $15.25 an hour, non-negotiable.


General Responsibilities

  • Scan tickets and passes for admission

  • Create a warm and welcoming environment

  • Provide excellent guest service

  • Enforce park entry rules and policies

  • Assist patrons with any questions or concerns

Job Qualifications

  • Background check is required

  • Applicants must be at least 16 years of age

  • Excellent guest service skills

  • Strong communication and problem-solving skills

  • Flexible schedule that includes afternoon and evening hours on weekdays and weekends

  • Able to be polite and respectful while maintaining composure under any circumstances

  • Coordinate well with others

  • Detail-oriented and accurate

  • Excellent listening skills


Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Work Environment

Ravinia is an outdoor, rain or shine venue. Applicants must be able to work outdoors in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. Expect to be standing for extended periods. All staff are required to wear a Ravinia uniform.

Additional Information

Priority in hiring is given to applicants who are available to work the entire season. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age to be considered. Early applicants are encouraged and appreciated.

Interviews will be conducted until all positions are filled. Due to the high number of applications we may not be able to contact all applicants directly. If you do not hear from us, unfortunately, we do not have a position for you this season and we encourage you to apply again next year.

Benefits:

Eligible for the Illinois Paid Leave plan

Ravinia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success. We strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.

All your information will be kept confidential in accordance with EEO guidelines.

Key Skills
Guest ServiceCommunicationTicket ScanningPolicy EnforcementProblem-SolvingCoordinationDetail-OrientedListening
Categories
HospitalitySports & RecreationCustomer Service & SupportAdministrative
Benefits
Illinois Paid Leave Plan
Job Information
📋Core Responsibilities
The Gate Staff is responsible for managing all park entry, which includes scanning tickets and passes while strictly enforcing Ravinia's established entry policies and upholding organizational core values. This role requires creating a warm and welcoming environment and assisting patrons with any questions or concerns.
📋Job Type
seasonal
📊Experience Level
0-2
💼Company Size
302
📊Visa Sponsorship
No
💼Language
English
🏢Working Hours
15 hours
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