There are a plethora of festivals little and large taking place in Chicago in the coming months but for one, attendees will have to travel a little further out from Chicago this year coming.
The annual three-day rock music festival, Riot Fest, is changing its name and leaving Chicago for the first time in its almost 20-year history.
The festival will now be known as “RiotLand” and will instead take place at the SeatGeek Stadium in the southwest suburb of Bridgeview reportedly with a more carnival-like atmosphere.
Having first started in 2005, Riot Fest was located in Humboldt Park for most of its first 10 years before moving to Douglass Park in 2015 in search of more space and has developed into one of the largest independently owned music festivals in the United States.
However, pushback from neighbors created years of friction between festival organizers and the local community with neighbors actively protesting megafests held in the West Side park.
Riot Fest co-owner Mike Petrynshyn, aka Riot Mike, took to X this week pinning blame on the Chicago Park District via a video which stated “Riot Fest will be leaving Douglas Park. And — allow me to be as clear as the azure sky of the deepest summer — our exodus is solely because of the Chicago Park District. Their lack of care for the community, you, and us, ultimately left us no choice.”
The video also highlighted the support of Ald. Monique Scott (24th) who is said to have called out setbacks caused by an “unnecessary and inappropriate delay in the permit process.”
According to NBC Chicago, the Chicago Park District issued a statement saying that it had “worked tirelessly to strike a balance between community interests and our special events organizers.”
“Community voices are critical to our decision-making process” it read, “which is why a comprehensive community engagement process is a necessary component in evaluating a permit application.”
SeatGeek Stadium has now been chosen for the location of the rebranded “Riot Land” because it “provides convenient access” from Chicago and surrounding suburbs.
Headliners and passes for “Riot Land” also dropped this week.
The lineup includes Fall Out Boy, Beck, Public Enemy, Slayer, St. Vincent, Dr. Dog, Rob Zombie, Pavement, The Offspring, and The Marley Brothers while two and three-day passes start at $189.98 and $249.98.
The festival will take place on its original dates Friday, September 20th through Sunday, September 22nd at SeatGeek Stadium at 7000 S. Harlem Ave.
More information can be found at riotfest.org.