Arts & Entertainment
Riot Fest Will Remain in Douglass Park Through at Least 2027, With More Money Going Back to the West Side Park
Jimmy Eat World at Riot Fest 2016. ( COVERT NINE / Flickr)
Riot Fest will remain in Douglass Park through at least 2027, following the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners voting Wednesday to approve a new multi-year agreement with the festival.
The board approved the three-year agreement for Riot Fest to be held in Douglass Park with an option to extend through 2029. The meeting drew both supporters and opponents of the rock festival, which has been held at Douglass Park in North Lawndale on the West Side since 2015, except for a pandemic-induced cancelation in 2020.
Riot Fest will announce this year’s lineup on April 23 with tickets going on sale that day, according to festival organizers. Ticket presales for three-day general admission, VIP, Deluxe and Deluxe+ begin Thursday at 10 a.m.
The three-day festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary, will be held Sept. 19-21.
Riot Fest has faced regular pushback from some community advocates who have raised concerns about park damage, noise and the festival cutting off park access to surrounding residents.
“While some community members receive contracts or vendor spots, let’s be honest, those are breadcrumbs compared to what the festival brings,” community advocate Florina Florea said during Wednesday’s board meeting. “This isn’t equity, it’s extraction.”
Other residents, including local business advocates, spoke in favor of the festival being held at the park during the meeting. Ald. Monique Scott (24th Ward) is also among those supporters of Riot Fest being held in Douglass Park.
“This partnership helps shift the narrative about historically disinvested communities and builds a brighter future for our youth, families, and local stakeholders,” Scott said in a news release announcing the multi-year deal. “Riot Fest has truly found a home here, and we’re proud to call them family.”
As part of the deal, the festival will pay a permit fee that will equal either an annual payment of $575,000 or revenue shares from ticket sales, whichever is greater. The amount will increase each year. If the festival stays for the full five years, the Park District could see between $3 million to $4.5 million in revenue, according to a news release.
New this year, Douglass Park will receive back 30% of the permit fee revenues for the park itself. As a result, the festival is expected to generate about $1 million for Douglass Park in five years, according to Chicago Park District Deputy Director of Revenue Lauren Quinn during the board meeting.
The district will also be piloting a “participatory budgeting process” in which community members will be able to help determine how the money from Riot Fest will be spent at Douglass Park.
Last year, Riot Fest was held in Douglass Park as originally planned after festival organizers reversed its decision to hold the festival at SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
