The decision by Riot Fest organizers to bring the event back to Chicago, just two months after announcing the 2024 festival would take place in Bridgeview, has stunned fans and residents, with city officials hailing it as a big win for the local economy.
The announcement came just a month before the festival kicks off on September 20, with Fall Out Boy and NOFX among the headliners.
Annie Brawley, who has attended Riot Fest at Douglass Park several times in the past, is excited to have the festival return to a place where she feels it belongs, but it comes at a price.
“I’m very excited about it, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just a last-minute decision and now all the hotel prices are going through the roof,” she said.
She originally planned to stay in the Loop for the festival, but then paid an extra $225 to find a hotel room closer to the event venue in the suburb of Bridgeview. That’s on top of the cost of her VIP tickets.
It’s frustrating, she said, but well worth the cost of a festival she looks forward to every year.
“I think Riot Fest gets a bad rap sometimes,” she says. “But every year I go, the community loves having us and we love being there.”
Chicago City Councilwoman Monique Scott expressed disappointment earlier this year when Riot Fest announced its move, but she’s thrilled it’s back in her district.
“When you find something that’s going to add tourism to my community, jobs, economic impact, I’m going to be quick to help,” Scott said.
Arturo Linares’ family restaurant, La Casa De Samuel, is just steps from Douglass Park. Every year during Riot Fest, they welcome new customers, often from different neighborhoods in the city.
“We’re seeing a lot of new faces. And maybe some of them will come back,” he said.
Scott and the Chicago Park District both say the festivals’ decision to return to Douglass Park is a big win for North Lawndale.
Due to the magnitude of the event, 10% of the permit cost, or more than $700,000, will be directly reinvested in the park. This revenue, capped at $100,000, can be used for capital improvement projects.
“This is 10% more than what we already work on throughout the year to make sure that all of our parks are receiving funds from all of these events,” said Rosa Escareño, CEO and superintendent of the Chicago Park District.
Since the permit for this event was already ready to be approved earlier this year, Escareño says the next step is an official visa from the Park District.
“As far as the procedure goes, we believe they have already met the requirements to obtain the permit. This is now a formality that must be submitted to our board of commissioners for approval,” she said.
The permitting process is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks, with a longer-term agreement potentially being worked out with festival organisers.
