Chicago is a special city for the Grateful Dead and Deadheads. The Windy City’s Soldier Field hosted the band’s last shows in 1995 and a series of Fare Thee Well concerts in 2015 featuring members of the group. While Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox hosted Grateful Dead-themed nights in the past, and will do so again on August 1, this year the Chicago Cubs will get in on the action.

The Chicago Cubs will present the team’s inaugural Grateful Dead Night on Monday, August 27 at Wrigley Field. Chicago-based jam act Mr. Blotto will kick off the festivities with a pregame concert at Gallagher Way, an open-air destination adjacent to the ballpark, from 5 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Mr. Blotto is expected to perform an acoustic set featuring Grateful Dead covers.

Fans who buy specially priced tickets via the Cubs’ website to watch the home team take on the New York Mets on August 27 will receive a special hat designed for the occasion. The hat features a series of dancing bears along with a Cubs logo. Illustrator Bob Thomas first created the dancing bears found on the hat for the back cover of the band’s 1973 live album History Of The Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear’s Choice). A portion of net proceeds from the Cubs’ Grateful Dead Night will go towards the group’s Rex Foundation charitable organization.


Tickets for the Chicago Cubs’ Grateful Dead Night are on sale now here.