Soldier Field is a landmark multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, that opened on October 9, 1924, as Grant Park Municipal Stadium before being renamed in 1925 to honor American soldiers who died in World War I. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, its neoclassical colonnade exterior has stood witness to over a century of sporting events, political rallies, and some of the most celebrated concerts in rock history.
With a concert capacity that can reach upward of 73,000 — as when Ed Sheeran’s in-the-round show set a venue ticket record in 2023 — Soldier Field regularly draws the world’s biggest touring acts. Its storied music legacy spans Pink Floyd’s 1977 stop and Bruce Springsteen’s 1985 performance to multiple Rolling Stones visits. Above all, the stadium is hallowed ground for Grateful Dead fans: the band played their final concert with Jerry Garcia here on July 9, 1995, and the surviving core members returned for the landmark Fare Thee Well reunion across July 3–5, 2015.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Near South Side, Chicago, Illinois
- Type: Multi-purpose outdoor stadium
- Opened: October 9, 1924
- Renovated: 2002–2003 ($632 million)
- Capacity: 62,500 (up to ~73,000 for in-the-round concerts)
- Famous for: Grateful Dead’s final Jerry Garcia show (1995) and Fare Thee Well reunion (2015)
- Architect: Holabird & Roche (original, 1924)
A Century of Landmark Concerts
Soldier Field’s concert history stretches back to its earliest years, when the venue hosted the annual Chicagoland Music Festival featuring classical performers such as Lily Pons and Jascha Heifetz. By the rock era it had evolved into one of America’s premier stadium stages, welcoming Pink Floyd in 1977, the Rolling Stones in 1978, Bruce Springsteen in 1985, and U2 in 1997. Each successive decade brought new milestones, cementing the stadium’s reputation as a destination for artists at the height of their powers.
The 2015 Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well concerts stand as the defining music moment in the venue’s modern history. Over the July 4th holiday weekend, more than 212,000 fans packed Soldier Field across three sold-out nights to watch the band’s surviving core members perform together for what was billed as the last time — nearly 20 years to the day after Jerry Garcia’s final show on the same stage.
The Venue Today
Following its $632 million renovation completed in September 2003, Soldier Field’s interior was fully rebuilt within the preserved neoclassical colonnade walls — a dramatic architectural contrast that earned both criticism and design awards from the American Institute of Architects. The renovated stadium became the first existing North American venue to earn LEED-EB certification in 2011, reflecting an ongoing commitment to sustainability.
Today the stadium seats 62,500 for NFL games and serves as home to the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire FC. For major concert productions, configurations can push attendance considerably higher, as demonstrated by Ed Sheeran’s record-setting 2023 in-the-round show that drew approximately 73,000 fans — proof that Soldier Field remains one of the most sought-after stops on any world tour.
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Soldier Field FAQs
When did Soldier Field first open?
Soldier Field opened on October 9, 1924, under the name Grant Park Municipal Stadium. It was renamed Soldier Field in 1925 to honor American soldiers who died in World War I.
What is the concert capacity at Soldier Field?
Standard end-stage concert configurations seat roughly 54,000–57,000 fans. In-the-round setups can push attendance to approximately 73,000, as was the case for Ed Sheeran’s record-breaking 2023 show.
Why is Soldier Field significant to Grateful Dead fans?
Soldier Field was the site of the Grateful Dead’s final concert with Jerry Garcia on July 9, 1995. Twenty years later the venue hosted the Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead reunion shows on July 3–5, 2015, drawing over 212,000 attendees across three nights.
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Photo: Sea Cow / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.