A permit for Riot Fest to be held at Douglass Park in September was approved during a Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday, leaving nearby residents divided on the board's decision.
Riot Fest, a primarily alternative and punk rock music festival in Chicago, has been held at Douglass Park in September since 2015.
Last year, some residents in North Lawndale and Little Village vocally opposed the frequent presence of music festivals in the park in 2022, with Riot Fest being the third of three music festivals held at the West Side park last year.
Both Heatwave Music Festival and Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash moved locations for 2023, relocating to Northerly Island and SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, respectively.
Riot Fest was moved to a singular, outdoor location in 2012, where it was initially held in Humboldt Park for three years, before pressure from local officials and nearby residents to relocate the festival over gentrification concerns.
While some nearby residents in the primarily Black and Brown community wish to see the festival move elsewhere, others see it as a method to revitalizing the community.
"Years ago, we struggled to dream big in North Lawndale," resident Marcus Betts told NBC Chicago. "Now we have an opportunity to see what's possible. A world-class community attracting visitors from around the world and being known for other things than the negative things we have traditionally seen in our community."
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The event, which is expected to draw up to 50,000 people per day, also had support from nearby alderperson Monique Scott, key in securing approval for the event.
Organizers for Riot Fest promised noise and safety adjustments for the 2023 festival. The board unanimously voted to approve the permit.
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As for nearby resident Rebecca Wolfram, the board's steadfast approval of the permit leaves her upset, but not surprised.
"I am demoralized. Not surprised, but really disheartened and sad," Wolfram told NBC Chicago.
Riot Fest is scheduled for Sept. 15-17 at Douglass Park, with the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and The Cure among the festival's headlining acts.
