Ravinia v Ravinia has reached a resolution.
Nearly one year after a trademark fight ended up in Chicago federal court, Ravinia Festival and Ravina Brewing announced a settlement Friday, with the craft brewer agreeing to rebrand.
While the terms of the settlement were not disclosed, Ravinia Brewing plans to abandon its hometown moniker while Ravinia Festival will both drop its trademark infringement lawsuit and help the brewery during the name change.
“After considerable discussions, we’ve reached a mutual agreement that puts our disputes behind us and enables us to both move forward,” Ravinia Festival and Ravinia Brewing said in a joint statement. “The agreement affirms Ravinia’s trademarks and provides that Ravinia Brewing Company will announce a name change and a new brand, with Ravinia providing assistance during the transition.”
No specific timetable for the Ravinia Brewing name change was disclosed, but the rebranding is expected to take place over a period of months.
“We are still finalizing an updated name and brand as we want to make sure that we stay authentic to our amazing community and patrons,” Kris Walker, 48, co-founder of Ravinia Brewing, said in an email Saturday.
The trademark battle has been brewing since Ravinia Brewing opened its north suburban brewpub six years ago in the Highland Park business district made famous by the outdoor concert venue. Ravinia Festival immediately challenged the brewery’s right to share the hometown name, which it had trademarked.
The dispute became public, bringing both sides to the table to hammer out an agreement that allowed Ravinia Brewing to use the name, with certain limitations. Restrictions included making “Brewing Company” at least 28% the size of “Ravinia” on all packaging and signage, an area where the brewery fell short of the agreement after switching to larger cans.
Things went south in 2021 when Ravinia Brewing opened a second location in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, and began promoting its own live music at both of its venues. In addition, Ravinia Brewing introduced a music-themed beer, trading on an implied association with the outdoor venue, according to Ravinia Festival’s lawsuit.
The music festival rescinded the agreement in August 2023 before taking the matter to court, demanding the brewery stop making and selling beer under the Ravinia name.
In the October 2023 lawsuit, Ravinia Festival pointed to five registered trademarks, the oldest of which covers entertainment services dating back to 1936, although it wasn’t registered until 2002. Ravinia Brewing filed for its trademark in 2015.
The Ravinia name itself refers to a 152-year-old community that was annexed into Highland Park in 1899, an incorporation predating the earliest incarnation of the outdoor music festival by five years.
First opened in 1904, the Ravinia Festival was initially conceived as a high-end amusement park with a music pavilion, dance hall, baseball stadium and other attractions. Incorporated in 1936, the nonprofit Ravinia Festival evolved over the years into a renowned outdoor venue that brought top musical acts across multiple genres to its concert stage every summer.
The 2024 Ravinia Festival summer season ends September 15, ostensibly making it the last that the similarly named beer brand will be available.
While other businesses, from Ravinia Plumbing to the Ravinia Barbershop, continue to share the name, the hometown brewery is expected to announce a new brand “soon,” Walker said.
A Cook County Circuit Court case brought by Ravinia Brewing against Ravinia Festival was dismissed in August and both parties have agreed to drop the federal case.
“We are glad to have this finally behind us,” Walker said.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
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