In a stunning reversal of a move announced earlier this year, Riot Fest will once again be held in Chicago’s Douglass Park next month, organizers and the Chicago Park District announced Wednesday.
In June, it was announced that Riot Fest would be held in the parking lots surrounding SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview, but festival organizers instead have reached a provisional agreement with the Park District, pending full approval at a meeting next month.
Chicago Ald. Monique Scott, along with North Lawndale officials and the Chicago Park District in negotiations to bring Riot Fest back into the city.
"We are thrilled that Riot Fest is returning to the 24th Ward this year and are working towards a long-term partnership with the City of Chicago,” said Scott in a statement. “Independent and alternative cultural assets like Riot Fest invigorate our local economy by creating jobs, attracting tourism, supporting our youth, and providing a national stage for small businesses and artists from North Lawndale and Little Village. Riot Fest’s return is a win for our community, and we look forward to the continued positive impact it will bring."
The festival says it will announce its full schedule on Thursday morning.
According to the press release, Scott and community members have asked the city and park district to engage in contract talks with Riot Fest officials to secure future editions of the festival in the city, with more engagement to make it a “positive impact” on the surrounding community.
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"If there was no Chicago, there’d be no Riot Fest,” said Michael “Riot Mike” Petryshyn, founder of Riot Fest, in a statement. “It grew out of an independent music community where one would be able to see Naked Raygun, Smashing Pumpkins, or Rise Against on a random Saturday night, and you’d still have enough time to go catch a late-night set at Legends and if lucky enough, maybe Buddy (Guy) would be there performing at his venue.”
The announcement had been made in June that the festival would move from Douglass Park, where it had been held since 2015, and into the parking lots surrounding SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
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The move was blamed on the Chicago Park District, accusing the district of “lack of care for the community.”
Festival officials also said that it would debut an attraction called “Riotland” to build up spaces around the musical performances.
The three-day music festival began in 2005, originally using a combination of venues before it moved to Chicago’s Humboldt Park. In 2015, it was moved to Douglass Park, but in recent years has become the subject of community pushback, including petitions to remove the festival from the park.
“I was tired of Riot Fest continually being the lowest hanging fruit,” a message, attributed to Petryshyn, said. “I was tired of playing their games. I was tired of watching something I love being continually used to deflect away from their own internal deficits. So it became evident change was needed.”
In a statement emailed to NBC Chicago in June, the Chicago Park District said the district had worked "tirelessly to strike a balance between community interests and our Special Events organizers."
"Community voices are critical to our decision-making process, which is why a comprehensive community engagement process is a necessary component in evaluating a permit application," the statement read in part. "Last year, Riot Fest organizers completed this process successfully, received a permit and hosted their event in Douglass Park."
According to new information, Riot Fest is expected to generate roughly $712,000 in revenues, a percentage of which will be reinvested into Douglass Park.
A variety of events will also be held in conjunction with the festival, including the “Beyond the Fest” program, which helps to coordinate with local leaders in a series of charity initiatives.
The festival, which will be headlined by Fall Out Boy, Beck, Slayer and dozens of other bands, will kick off on Friday, Sept. 20 and run through Sunday, Sept. 22.
