Tickets go on sale this morning (Monday, March 3rd) for five shows. You can use the TicketMaster purchase links below to score your tickets for Buffett:

4.26.08 – Frisco, TX – TicketMaster Purchase Link
7.19.08 – East Troy, WI – TicketMaster Purchase Link
7.24.08 – Bridgeview, IL – TicketMaster Purchase Link
7.26.08 – Bridgeview, IL – TicketMaster Purchase Link
7.29.08 – Indianapolis, IN – TicketMaster Purchase Link

All shows go on sale at 10 am CST, except Indianapolis, which goes on sale at 10 am EST.

Good luck scoring tickets!

The Chicago Sun-Times has an article on Buffett migrating his annual Chicago shows from Tinley Park to Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. Here are some excerpts:

After 17 seasons of basing his Chicago area shows at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater in Tinley Park (and before that Poplar Creek), Buffett announced that on July 24 and 26 he’ll make his debut at Toyota Park, 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview. The southwest suburb is welcoming Buffett’s tailgating flock of Parrot Heads with open arms.

In Tinley Park, that wasn’t always the case. Hardcore tailgaters from Chicago migrate instead to Buffett’s shows at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wis., where they’re as accepted as beer and cheese.

“What size shark hat should I wear?” wonders Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek. “We encourage tailgaters. We have 30 acres of parking on site. The lots are well lit. We’ll have plenty of security. We know the other event to a Buffett show is the pre-concert.”

General Manager Mark Thiessen says Toyota will make “every effort” to open early. He’s now reviewing village codes: “Our goal is to make this his permanent home for as long as he continues to tour.”

“I’m a big Buffett fan — now,” said Mayor Landek, 51. “I’m not an avid music buff, but I understand this is great business. We’re prepared. We had almost 30,000 people last summer for the Eric Clapton [Crossroads guitar festival] event and it went off without a hitch.”

Read the entire article here.

The presale for the Toyota Park shows has ended. Ticket sales will resume tomorrow for the general public, Monday, March 3rd at 10 am CST on Ticketmaster. Click here for the TicketMaster purchase link.

In the February issue of “All At Sea”, a story on the 13th annual New Years Eve Regatta on St. Barts mentions Buffett and his sailboat “Groovy”:

The 26 boats that participated ranged from the smallest, Fritz Bus’ 24’ Carib Melges, to the largest, Elenora, a 162’ (overall length) replica of the mythic Nathaniel Herreshoff schooner Westward. The winner, with the fastest time around the island at 1 hour, 58 minutes, and 20 seconds was the 117’ Hamilton II.

Winners in the smaller classes were an 82’ Swan, Capo Giro, for the mid-sized boats (60 to 80 feet), and Courrier de Nuit, a 40’ sloop, in the smaller class (30 to 60 feet). A class for small boats up to 30’, which included singer Jimmy Buffett’s 30’ sloop, Groovy, was won by Alex Jouany’s 30’ sloop, Magic Carpet.

Read the entire article here.

The SouthtownStar has an article on getting tickets for the two July concerts at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL:

Jimmy Buffett fans hoping to score premium tickets for either of the two July concerts the 61-year-old Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band are scheduled to perform at Toyota Park in Bridgeview don’t need to camp out Sunday night savoring cheeseburgers and sipping margaritas.

That’s because Toyota Park officials are using a lottery system Monday morning that will decide who gets first dibs at buying up to six tickets for Buffett’s shows July 24 and July 26.

Ticket prices are $36, $86 and $136. Gates at Toyota Park will open at 7:30 a.m. Monday, and those in attendance will begin receiving numbered wristbands about 8:30 a.m., according to Mark Nacpil, who works in the box office at the music and sports venue at 7300 W. 71st St.

One number will be selected at random. Subsequent numbers will follow in order.

Read the entire article here.

Keep in mind though, that the presale for tickets is still going on. You can buy tickets now through Sunday morning by clicking here. You will need the presale password, which you can find here. If you are unable to buy tickets during the presale, the general on sale begins at 10 am on Monday.