CHICAGO (CBS) — Riot Fest will return to Douglass Park in September instead of moving the popular music festival to the suburbs as originally planned.
“We’re not just coming home – we’re coming back with passion, an even bigger purpose, and doubling down on our commitment to Chicago, our fans, and our community. Riot Fest was born and raised here; this is where we belong,” Riot Fest founder Michael “Riot Mike” Petryshyn said in a statement.
Petryshyn said the decision to return to Douglass Park came after a conversation with Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Pending approval by the Chicago Park District Board at its meeting next month, Riot Fest will take place September 20-22 at Douglass Park. Headliners include Fall Out Boy, Beck, Pavement and Slayer.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News Chicago on Wednesday evening, Petryshyn expressed excitement about the festival’s return to Douglass Park.
“It’s nice to be home. This is where we should be,” he said. “I think a lot of people will be happy that we’re back.”
In June, the organizers of Riot Fest announced the first Moving to SeatGeek Stadium in the southwestern suburb of Bridgeview. The organizers even set up shuttle buses to the suburb. In a YouTube clip from June, the organizer of Riot Fest blamed the Chicago Park District for the move.
“I didn’t think we were treated the same as others,” Petryshyn said.
On Wednesday, however, the Park District announced that the festival would return to Douglass Park instead and that it was working with Ald. Monique Scott (24th) and city leaders on a long-term partnership to keep Riot Fest in Chicago.
“Independent and alternative cultural assets like Riot Fest revitalize our local economy by creating jobs, attracting tourism, supporting our youth, and providing a national stage for North Lawndale and Little Village small businesses and artists. The return of Riot Fest is a win for our community and we look forward to the continued positive impact it will bring,” Scott said in a statement.
Petryshyn said organizers met directly with Mayor Johnson and left with a big hug.
“It’s nice to feel like you’re part of the fabric that makes Chicago Chicago,” Petryshyn said.
As part of the permit to hold the festival in Douglass Park, Riot Fest will give 10% of the festival revenue back to Douglass Park. The Park District estimates this year’s festival will generate approximately $712,000 for the park. After the festival, the Park District will work with the community on possible capital improvements for the park.
But since the festival has been unpopular with some neighbors for years, not everyone is enthusiastic. Neighbors around Douglass Park have complained about restricted access to the park and damage to the park grounds, traffic and noise right next to two hospitals and a rehabilitation center.
“We are once again in a situation where profit is coming at the expense of black and brown people in particular, that’s the way it is,” said Anton Adkins.
Adkins and a large group of other neighbors had previously fought to remove Riot Fest from Douglass Park.
“I’ve seen the destruction of our neighborhood – not just the park, but our entire neighborhood,” Adkins said. “I’ll say it again: Money is being made now, and people aren’t getting any of it.”
Ald. Scott disagreed with the claim that Riot Fest does not benefit the neighborhood at all.
“They don’t know what Riot Fest brings,” Scott said, “and that’s why Riot Fest brings a lot of resources to our community. It goes beyond the fest.”
Scott thanks Riot Fest for hosting a back-to-school party in her district on Wednesday with free food, school supplies, and lots of fun.
However, Adkins said that some key stakeholders were missing from the discussion about reinstating Riot Fest.
“None of us were at that table, and I think our not being at the table says everything you need to know,” Adkins said. “We weren’t included in the conversation because we were included in the thinking about what was going to happen in our own neighborhoods.”
CBS News Chicago asked Ald. Scott if the return to Douglass Park was just for a year or forever.
“So that’s something the board and the park have to work on,” Scott said. “You know, I did it my way, of course, I’m going to bring her back for good.”
Riot Fest began in 2005 as a multi-venue punk and rock festival in Chicago. From 2012 to 2014, Riot Fest was held in Humboldt Park, where some local residents – and then-Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26) –complained about the large crowds and the damage that this caused to the park.
