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THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Celebrate LOLLAPALOOZA Homecoming With ‘Pumpkinpalooza’
The Smashing Pumpkins will headline Lollapalooza in their hometown of Chicago on 31 July 2026, marking their first appearance at the festival since its original touring run in 1994. To mark the occasion, the band has organised a week of associated events under the banner "Pumpkinpalooza", including an intimate preview show, a merchandise pop-up and various city-wide collaborations, underlining the significance of the homecoming for frontman Billy Corgan and the band.
The celebrations begin on 29 July with a sold-out performance at Chicago's 2,500-capacity Riviera Theatre, followed by a merchandise pop-up near Grant Park running until 31 July. Fans can also visit "Madame Zuzu's Celestial Lounge", an offshoot of Corgan's Highland Park teahouse, while the Aviary cocktail bar is launching a bespoke drink, Infinite Mellons, for the occasion. The Lollapalooza set precedes the band's "The Rats In A Cage" tour, running September to November, which will feature separate sets dedicated to "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" and a career-spanning retrospective.
In short
- Smashing Pumpkins headline Lollapalooza in Chicago on 31 July 2026.
- First Lollapalooza appearance since 1994; week of "Pumpkinpalooza" events planned.
- New "Rats In A Cage" tour follows, running September to November.
Explained simply
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American rock band that formed in Chicago in the 1980s. The band achieved major international success in the 1990s and has remained active in various forms since, with frontman Billy Corgan as the core member.
Lollapalooza is one of the largest and most well-established music festivals in the world, held annually in Chicago's Grant Park. The festival began in 1991 as a touring exhibition before becoming a permanent annual event in Chicago in 1994, the same year The Smashing Pumpkins first performed at it.
The Smashing Pumpkins' scheduled appearance as headliners in 2026 represents their first time performing at the festival since that original 1994 run. This marks a notable return to the festival for the band in their hometown.
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