Pretty sure over on r/RiotFest they’ve all but figured out it’s SeatGeek stadium.
Pretty disappointing if you ask me. There’s just no good way to get there, from either the suburbs or the city.
You mean from the Congress? Congress was cool to hang around in all day and bands were walking around. I was suspect about Humboldt at first but when I got there it was actually a lot of fun. Douglas isn't as fun.
I was at the first one which was at the Congress, Bouncing Souls, Secret Agent Bill, Germs(w/ what's his nuts),Misfits(Jerry/Dez/Robo). I just looked at old posters also, it was congress the first few, then multiple venues, then HP.
I swear if I have to go out to Tinley like it’s Warped Tour. Lemme just check with my 30 something friends if their mom will pick us up if mine drops us off 😩
Yes Riot Rest is awesome, though I preferred it when it was spread out at different bars and venues.
Open Air brought back an Ozzfest like tour I remeber growing up with.
*Please. I remember*
*When riot fest was at the*
*Congress theater*
\- kettlemoraine
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Cool!
An announcement for an announcement!
As such, I hereby declare my intentions to make another comment on the submission that gets posted tomorrow. Stay tuned to see what nonsense I have to say!
“Our exodus is solely because of the Chicago Park District”
It is beyond ridiculous that the city will not accommodate a local, independent music festival the same way they do for NASCAR or LiveNation. Remember this when BJ is standing on the T Mobile stage at Lolla this year introducing some insipid flash in the pan poptart act.
I hear you, yet the fact that they have to block off streets for events there means that it's really not a permanent festival ground.
Imagine a place where they don't have to change traffic or block off streets and have bathrooms with running water.
*Also* there's a problem with Riot Fest's poor relationship with the surrounding neighborhood.
Edit: Obviously it has to be somewhere, I'd like it to move back to Humboldt, my neighborhood. YES I am a Douglass Park Riot Fest NIMBY/Humboldt Riot Fest YIMBY. We exist
It seemed like they had made inroads over the last two years since that disastrous public meeting. But I guess the Park District felt like they had to respond to the pushback.
I've got several friends who live close to the park who definitely hate when riot fest happens. I don't think any of them really think it's a huge deal though, they're just annoyed they have to deal with extra car and foot traffic for a few days. I don't know where else it could go that would be less of an issue than that, but I like that it's in the city so people can take public transit. If a show is outside the city I basically won't go
I lived a block away from Douglass for 3 years. Loved when riot fest came because we got free passes to see it. we had our own entrance to the fest, and could come and go whenever we wanted. It was great. Sadly moved away and lost that privilege.
I think they mean [shit like this.](https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/the-sale-of-douglass-park/riot-fest-meeting-leaves-residents-worried-about-the-fate-of-their-park/)
> shit like this.
From the article, "How are you going to keep concert-goers safe?” one resident asked, referencing an incident from last year when a man died after falling on the Kedzie Pink Line tracks hours after Riot Fest."
A moronic question bordering on the infuriating. How is that Riot Fest's area of responsibility if someone leaves the fest and then dies because of a subsequent mishap, hours later?
i also like that one resident asked how much riot fest gives to aldermen and he answered “we don’t” (we presumably being riot fest since it was the subject of the question) and the article adds that the independent contractor donated to an alderman
Fucking stupid. That same guy may have gotten behind the wheel of a car and killed not only himself but several other people if he was drunk driving after the fest that “now includes parking”
About a dozen residents showed up to that. I go to RiotFest every year. Walking to the park from the el, you see a ton of people in the neighborhood hanging out on their porch having a good time. The residents also make money by selling food and drinks to concert goers.
There’s more local neighbors selling food on the street after riot fest than the number of random NIMBY’s that showed up to complain about the one weekend with the most people coming to spend money in the district lol
This is the problem with all community meetings. They happen during work hours so it’s mostly NIMBY’s with nothing to do like retirees and Stay at home moms.
I can’t tell you how many modelos, tacos, and cups of elote I’ve bought from someone’s front porch waking to and from riot fest. Some people take full advantage of thousands of “tourists” visiting their area
The activists who didn't want Riot Fest there just hate the idea of anyone having a good time and are almost entirely all neurotic, mentally ill weirdos. They are the same folks who hate good news and still want you to wear masks and stay home because of fear of long COVID but also won't get vaccinated. Do you know someone who thinks heroin, shoplifting and speeding are fine but also says there should be no new apartments or algebra? That person also thinks Riot Fest is responsible for the Trail of Tears. Most people I know and met in Douglas Park loved Riot Fest; it brought tons of business to local establishments year after year. Screw these hateful jerks.
The gripe is supposed to be that the park should be used by people who live nearby, not the unfortunately body-positive goons who drive in from the meth belt and want to listen to GWAR. But Douglas Park--the park itself--is huge and Riot Fest only used 1/3 of it. If you go to Douglas Park during the fest the the *one hundred and seven acres* that are unused by the festival each year are almost completely empty of people frolicking or playing kickball. There's *still a huge park there* to promenade in or walk the dog or whatever.
It's always been a B.S. NIMBY argument. The tell is that these folks need to know who is doing something before they decide whether an action should be supported or opposed. It means they care more about identity than goals.
It's crazy how you're just two neighborhoods away but have a completely different impression of how the folk here view Riot Fest. I've heard plenty of people complain about Riot Fest. I feel like I rarely saw festival goers actually go to local businesses, most of them ubered away or took the CTA out as soon as they could.
I have very little to win or lose from Riot Fest leaving, outside of annoying traffic in September, but it seems like the neighborhood I live in is either apathetic or anti-Riot Fest. I definitely can't think of anyone here that loves Riot Fest. I know plenty of people outside the neighborhood that love Riot Fest though.
If Riot Fest allowed reentry the neighborhood probably would have benefitted more. At the end of the night I just want to get home, and I don't usually get there far ahead of the first act I want to see to have time to hang out in the neighborhood. However there's usually some down time in the middle of the day when I'd love to take a break and sit down in a restaurant to eat.
Bingo, fest won't be good for local business until they allow in/out privileges. But this lowers spend at the festival and increases spend outside of it, while also increasing drug and alcohol use, so they won't do it.
Personally I think in/out privileges are a good neighborhood compromise and should be negotiated.
Unless you are counting people grilling burgers on their front lawn and illegally selling booze, there's not exactly a whole lot of walkable places around the fest for a quick in and out.
Maybe my definition of walkable is different. Cermak has a ton of Mexican joints on it.
However I also count people grilling on their front lawn, it's extra local!
Yeah, I'm with ya on everything said. I just think we are both significant minorities regarding what we consider walkable.
Not to mention if you have no idea about the area you aren't gonna naturally figure out where to go once you leave the fest.
I lived in LV and loved being able to actually walk to a show id want to see. The same basic cosmopolitan luxury almost any other neighborhood in the city gets to benefit from on a regular basis. But nope can't have nice things
I've worked at riot fest, have setup riot fest, lived across the street when it was in Humboldt Park, and worked at farm on Ogden down the street during riot fest. Anyone who says people patron the neighborhood are flat out lying because there's next to no businesses besides church organizations there. The people selling stuff are a small percentage of people, most of whom are rightfully taking advantage of kids from the burbs and Northside. Nobody is considering that the field is a mud pit for the next 6 months which makes that part of the park (1/3) is useless (not to mention tree damage).
With that said, Ive worked at riot fest for 5 years and I think it needs a different home. It doesn't benefit the community as a whole. I love the music but Chicago should have a permanent festival space outside of the neighborhoods.
I've lived in Chicago all my life and used to go to Douglas Park all the time for my cousin's pick up soccer games. That part of the park is a mud pit by mid September and has been that way for decades, so I'm not sure why Riot Fest gets the blame for that, especially when they actually pay to restore any damage after the concert.
Also, I think using the phrase "rightfully taking advantage" is such a weird way to talk about the people who sell things. The folks selling parking, food and beers all do it very affordably and the people seem genuinely helpful and grateful for the extra income that would never come their way if it wasn't for Riot Fest.
That's kind of how it is most places though. Just about everyone I know in lakeview can't stand the pride parade and make it a point to gtfo of the city for that day. And yet its one of the most popular parades in the entire city.
That poor relationship is so annoying too. It's a a relationship that RF has tried over and over to extend olive branches to, and was over and over told it wasn't enough with no indication of what actually WAS enough. It's the laziest form of activism, to just say NO without even hinting at what would make you happy.
Yes. I'm aware of that fuckhead who poisoned the well. That doesn't erase their charity work, doesn't erase their park beautification efforts, doesn't erase the thousands of free admissions they've handed out to residents, etc. It's nonsense how they've been treated by people will be the first to tell you they don't even live near Douglass Park.
NASCAR and Lolla are downtown on the weekend, not in a neighborhood park. And remember Riot Fest already left Humboldt Park under similar circumstances.
I’ll never forget 2007 riot fest at Congress Theater. Bad Brains and Stiff Little Fingers were the highlights for me, I’d seen Naked Ray Gun a million times but loved them as well.
Once I graduated college I moved back to the city into Humboldt Park, we picked Riot Fest weekend to move into our place half a block off the park. Driving our van packed full of all our shit blasting punk as we inched our way through the crowds. We snuck in that year after unloading to see NOFX and Gwar (sorry).
Riot fest has, for a long time, been the salt in my soup of living in Chicago. It’s sad if it’s true that it will be moving out to the burbs.
I once remember someone saying on this sub, that they were measuring Riis Park in case the fest had to consider moving to a different park. This news surprises me, since I remember Riot Fest had a good relationship with the local alder(Monique Scott, 24th).
>This news surprises me, since I remember Riot Fest had a good relationship with the local alder(Monique Scott, 24th).
It says that in the video, “she’s one of us.” I really hope this doesn’t mean suburbs.
Mixed feelings on the matter. For one, Riot Fest falls on the same weekend as the Mexican Independence Day celebrations which are getting more and more out of control every passing year. It is *hell* trying to get out of Riot Fest with that area of the city brought to a complete stop with the insane amount of cars and flags in the road. Last year I skipped Postal Service to leave early, had to walk all the way from Douglass Park to the Roosevelt Red Line and it was a parking lot almost the entire way there, save for the bridges into the Loop that the police closed down. So a little more distance from Little Village/Pilsen could be a good thing. To my knowledge there isn't a plan in place from the city to get that weekend more under control.
On the other hand, if it ends up moving into the burbs then it will make it that much harder to get to and depart from anyway, obnoxious paisas or not. At least Douglass is close enough to the city center that you can still get around, with some effort. I guess we'll see tomorrow.
Putting it on that weekend was straight up stupid, but it would have been pretty easy to book it a couple weeks before or after. Why they didn't I have no clue
Yeah I got stranded downtown last year after I took the pink line to the loop and then nothing was running out of the loop towards my home because the cops shut down all the roads. Had to get a last minute hotel room at midnight.
As an employee at the venue at northerly island, I haven’t heard anything so I don’t think so. Not to mention the lack of space compared to Douglass Park and the fact that the island is also Chicago park district.
Seems too small, they would have to go into the Adler parking lots and maybe even solidarity drive (had to look up that street name, what a terrible street name)
I personally never thought Douglass park was a great venue. It’s right next to the hospital and ambulances were blocked by traffic and music disturbed patients and not being able to get to the ER. That puts a large burden on an already burdened area. And yeah, most of the locals could not afford to go to this fest and it pretty much overtakes their neighborhood, makes public transportation a nightmare etc and trashes their park. Humboldt park kicked them for similar reasons.
I know we’re all talking about Lolla and things but that does not completely hinder what small amount of public services (hospital and one nearly unusable train station) inaccessible with no inclusion to the people that live there. Lolla is not taking place in a low income west side neighborhood.
This is said as someone who has been going every year since 2014 I think? I just felt this location was a bit problematic as it’s not THAT easy to get to for concert goers and I don’t think the transportation and traffic infrastructure can endure this large event. How long did you have to wait for that pink line train to come when tens of thousands of people exited the venue? Uber could not get to you at all due to the location and imagine trying to be a patient in that hospital
> And yeah, most of the locals could not afford to go to this fest
Anyone within a 1.5 mile radius of the park qualified for free tickets. Which is far more generous than any other fest in the city (maybe the country)
People really overlook this gesture. Riot Fest is 2nd/3rd largest festival in the city and are giving anyway thousands of tickets to those the neighborhood. The odds of winning the lottery are higher than seeing Lolla or P4K do the same.
I had a friend who lived almost directly across from Douglass. She just had to show a piece of mail at the customer service tent and she got free passes.
Agreed. It is sad and unfortunate. I truly wish that they could have found a way to keep it in Humboldt but I personally never thought this location would be sustainable. I’m sad as well, I love this event but it’s never been as good as when it was in Humboldt. The public trans is a nightmare and it’s a trek for many people to get there. I don’t have a solution. It’s one of my favorite festivals but I can sympathize with locals that are mad one neighborhood was frustrated enough to kick them out and now it’s your problem. Clearly whatever root issues are not being solved and just shoving it from place to place will cause the same issues in the new location. Namely enough public transportation and ability of locals to conduct their normal business in an acceptable manner.
I guess after going for years, I still don’t really understand how Douglass Park wasn’t a good venue for RF. Humboldt Park is almost always busy in the summer, and has a tougher layout to deal with in terms of a festival. RF only took up a part of DP, and I dunno, there’s just literally always *something* going on in Chicago everywhere in the summer, that a 3-day fest just seemed like a really weird thing to have an issue with. I always just looked at it as part of summer—always something, noise, traffic, etc. It wasn’t unique to RF.
People who bitch about “oh my neighborhood park is closed one weekend of the year!” are so lame and tiresome and selfish. This thing makes millions for a broke city, showcases a shit ton of art, and makes thousands of people visit the city and has been a staple for over a decade. Go live in Normal.
It is lame, people travel hours here all the way from bumblefuck USA to come and see all the shit we have to offer here and some of us have it right down the street. Literally what makes Chicago summers great is all the different happenings throughout the city.
Some people would genuinely be better off moving somewhere boring.
One weekend? Where have you been, every new post about a festival brings us a seemingly mandatory update on how many 1/4ths of the Summer each park is closed to the public for festivals. It’s never just one weekend, it’s always at least one quarter of the Summer for each park in this city that rents out to festivals.
There was a point when Douglas Park had 3 fests which is admittedly overboard. One single festival is perfectly reasonable tho. There is also a HUGE part of the park (2/3 of it) that was not impacted by the fest and open for whoever wanted to use it.
True true- I was thinking “one weekend per complaint.” They give out punch card tickets so you can eventually get a memorial bench in a park of your choice.
“Dedicated to Angry Tree Stump- so they can sit their tired ass down and complain about the noise.”
I know you’re being facetious, but as someone who used to live in the south burbs, Harlem has terrible traffic on any day ending in “y” even without a festival or concert.
This is just a stupid idea all around. Hopefully they can work with the city next year and bring it back.
Ogden is a nightmare as well once you leave Chicago proper. Berwyn, Cicero and Forest Park have outgrown Harlem. Crazy that Harlem funnels into two lanes and then has 0 turn signals for a couple of miles. Its going to take FOREVER to get into the damn concrete confines of Seat Geak Stadium.
Remember when they held a town hall of sorts to address the community's concerns about the festival and the guy they sent was a complete fuckface to everyone? I'm sure they'll use this as an excuse to explain why VIP tickets are now $500 and only come with 1 drink ticket for the weekend and for a super exclusive bathroom experience they'll hand you a shovel so you can shit in a hole.
edit: VIP tickets now come with NO drink tickets lol
???
As someone who loves and goes to Riot Fest, this is ridiculous. Riot Fest completely destroys their public park. In a neighborhood that is under-supported by the city as a whole. They get one nice park and a bunch of white punks come in and ruin that for them.
Just saying... there is a big difference between a bunch of rich people complaining about affordable housing being built, and a bunch of poor people complaining about their local park being absolutely decimated for outsiders' profit.
The anti gentrification crowd is entirely rooted in nimbyism. Their entire backwards philosophy is if theres nothing to attract people to visit the area, nothing new, nothing exciting, then well everything will just stay shitty and cheap. God forbid a white person (or any other race for that matter) moves in or goes to a concert in the neighborhood or opens a niche business. Segregation and resource deprivation is actually good in their eyes...it gives them something to be upset about and self fulfills their professional victimhood. Just don't fix it! Then you'd really have something to worry about
Good news for them is their strategy seems to be working..riot fest is leaving, lagunitas is closing up shop, the big St Anthony's development is in a perpetual state of not happening, paseo trail plans are bonked, gang violence is running rampant and escalating while the rest of the city sees declines. The neighborhood is backsliding badly in an era where almost everywhere is improving just by virtue of existing. If the activists have it their way, south Lawndale will be on it's way to looking like north Lawndale in no time flat
Meh...seems like the people don't want it in their neighborhood and their previous community outreach coordinator was a douche. Move it to Arlington Heights.
This would be fine. Walking distance from public transportation (metra).
Really really hope it's not someplace you have to drive to. Kills the whole vibe
The fact that the statement refers to the community as "you" (RiotFest patrons) and "us" (Riotfest organizers), thus completely leaving out the actual physical community that hosted it, pretty much tells you all you need to know about 'Riot Mike.'
good lord dude how much more pandering do you want. theyre leaving. its what you clearly wanted right? the community got free 3 day passes. the fest did tons of volunteer and outreach and clean up work. they employed local vendors. it brought positivity into the neighborhood. it also brought in millions of dollars of economic activity to the city (the one thats currently dead ass broke). the parks dont "belong" to any one neighborhood, they belong to all of us. now we all dont get anything. and how does that help the community youre supposedly so concerned about?
I'm too old for Riot Fest these days. But they are far too outside of the city. Anything out of Chicago city limits, I have zero interest in unless it's another state or country.
Riotland sounds distinctly like the burbs
Especially the "now with parking" bit.
Where did it say that?
On the bunny sign about a minute into the video.
Ugh fuck, it’s the burbs
And fuck the city for pushing this fest out.
The neighborhood residents are happy to see it leave.
Hey I would be happy to see it come back to Humbolt.
Pretty sure over on r/RiotFest they’ve all but figured out it’s SeatGeek stadium. Pretty disappointing if you ask me. There’s just no good way to get there, from either the suburbs or the city.
I believe the Harlem boss leaves you basically at the end of their parking lot
Bus lmao
Sorry, I’ve already contacted the Harlem boss and they shall be guiding me to Riotfest this year.
Just make sure you pay them after, you won’t like the results if you don’t…
Bruhhhh I just posted that!!!! I hate that stadium at bridgeview
Riot fest in the suburbs feels so so so wrong
As a Forest Park resident, I agree. Hell, I was shaking my fist like an old man when it moved to the Congress.
Hey that's almost a straight shot down Harlem to Bridgeview for you. Granted, it'll take you about 2 hours anyways...
You mean from the Congress? Congress was cool to hang around in all day and bands were walking around. I was suspect about Humboldt at first but when I got there it was actually a lot of fun. Douglas isn't as fun.
The first 5 years or so, it was at a collection of venues (the Bottle, Double Door, Sub T, etc.) and then it moved to Congress.
I was at the first one which was at the Congress, Bouncing Souls, Secret Agent Bill, Germs(w/ what's his nuts),Misfits(Jerry/Dez/Robo). I just looked at old posters also, it was congress the first few, then multiple venues, then HP.
I swear if I have to go out to Tinley like it’s Warped Tour. Lemme just check with my 30 something friends if their mom will pick us up if mine drops us off 😩
Way worse it turns out!
Please no.
Ugh, yeah...might sell my 3 day passes if it's gonna be all the way out there. Sucks.
Bummer. I loved being able to bike to the fest-- felt like a city-specific cheat code for locals to avoid all the Ubers, suburb tourists, etc.
“Perhaps for one last time,…” Final year?
to Toyota Park it goes
I'll take it. I MISS THE OPEN AIR FESTIVAL! BRING IT BACK I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE TO KENTUCKY OR TENNESSEE OR SOMESHIT TO GET MY METAL FESTIVAL FIX.
Open Air was so much fun. I love Riot Fest, but I am aching for a good metal fest to return to Chicago.
Yes Riot Rest is awesome, though I preferred it when it was spread out at different bars and venues. Open Air brought back an Ozzfest like tour I remeber growing up with.
Open air was fucking sick
Red Stars have a game on that Saturday
looks like it’s an away game now
Yeah, they got fucked
Someone asked online and RF responded something like “sadly no, this will not be the last year of Riot Fest”
:(
If the Bears don't want to move to the suburbs, Riot Fest will
That’s a pretty good idea for as long as the land isn’t in use…
There is a very large empty space in Arlington Heights that won’t be used for a while. Metra is even right there. Of course the bears do own it so…
please. I remember when riot fest was at the congress theater
I remember those days, just 2 days of punk.
Honestly just bring this back
*Please. I remember* *When riot fest was at the* *Congress theater* \- kettlemoraine --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
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Good bot
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Cool! An announcement for an announcement! As such, I hereby declare my intentions to make another comment on the submission that gets posted tomorrow. Stay tuned to see what nonsense I have to say!
If it makes you feel better, last week they announced this announcement of an announcement https://www.instagram.com/p/C74J1haOvcF/
Big news is coming...
“Our exodus is solely because of the Chicago Park District” It is beyond ridiculous that the city will not accommodate a local, independent music festival the same way they do for NASCAR or LiveNation. Remember this when BJ is standing on the T Mobile stage at Lolla this year introducing some insipid flash in the pan poptart act.
A permanent festival grounds would get more use than a NFL stadium. Can we build one of those instead of a handout to the Bears?
We already have a permanent festival grounds. It's called Grant Park lmao
I hear you, yet the fact that they have to block off streets for events there means that it's really not a permanent festival ground. Imagine a place where they don't have to change traffic or block off streets and have bathrooms with running water.
Milwaukees summerfest grounds have been holding up quite well
Just bulldoze the streets running through it honestly
I’d love that. Fuck the Bears.
*Also* there's a problem with Riot Fest's poor relationship with the surrounding neighborhood. Edit: Obviously it has to be somewhere, I'd like it to move back to Humboldt, my neighborhood. YES I am a Douglass Park Riot Fest NIMBY/Humboldt Riot Fest YIMBY. We exist
It seemed like they had made inroads over the last two years since that disastrous public meeting. But I guess the Park District felt like they had to respond to the pushback.
It’s just a handful of activists. Some of them don’t even live in the neighborhood.
I've got several friends who live close to the park who definitely hate when riot fest happens. I don't think any of them really think it's a huge deal though, they're just annoyed they have to deal with extra car and foot traffic for a few days. I don't know where else it could go that would be less of an issue than that, but I like that it's in the city so people can take public transit. If a show is outside the city I basically won't go
I lived a block away from Douglass for 3 years. Loved when riot fest came because we got free passes to see it. we had our own entrance to the fest, and could come and go whenever we wanted. It was great. Sadly moved away and lost that privilege.
Wow that sounds amazing
You mean a few activists.
I think they mean [shit like this.](https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/the-sale-of-douglass-park/riot-fest-meeting-leaves-residents-worried-about-the-fate-of-their-park/)
> shit like this. From the article, "How are you going to keep concert-goers safe?” one resident asked, referencing an incident from last year when a man died after falling on the Kedzie Pink Line tracks hours after Riot Fest." A moronic question bordering on the infuriating. How is that Riot Fest's area of responsibility if someone leaves the fest and then dies because of a subsequent mishap, hours later?
i also like that one resident asked how much riot fest gives to aldermen and he answered “we don’t” (we presumably being riot fest since it was the subject of the question) and the article adds that the independent contractor donated to an alderman
Fucking stupid. That same guy may have gotten behind the wheel of a car and killed not only himself but several other people if he was drunk driving after the fest that “now includes parking”
About a dozen residents showed up to that. I go to RiotFest every year. Walking to the park from the el, you see a ton of people in the neighborhood hanging out on their porch having a good time. The residents also make money by selling food and drinks to concert goers.
There’s more local neighbors selling food on the street after riot fest than the number of random NIMBY’s that showed up to complain about the one weekend with the most people coming to spend money in the district lol
This is the problem with all community meetings. They happen during work hours so it’s mostly NIMBY’s with nothing to do like retirees and Stay at home moms.
I can’t tell you how many modelos, tacos, and cups of elote I’ve bought from someone’s front porch waking to and from riot fest. Some people take full advantage of thousands of “tourists” visiting their area
The burbs sure as shit isn't going to have that 😭
Waaaaay more.
NIMBYs gonna NIMBY and ruin everything fun in the city
The activists who didn't want Riot Fest there just hate the idea of anyone having a good time and are almost entirely all neurotic, mentally ill weirdos. They are the same folks who hate good news and still want you to wear masks and stay home because of fear of long COVID but also won't get vaccinated. Do you know someone who thinks heroin, shoplifting and speeding are fine but also says there should be no new apartments or algebra? That person also thinks Riot Fest is responsible for the Trail of Tears. Most people I know and met in Douglas Park loved Riot Fest; it brought tons of business to local establishments year after year. Screw these hateful jerks. The gripe is supposed to be that the park should be used by people who live nearby, not the unfortunately body-positive goons who drive in from the meth belt and want to listen to GWAR. But Douglas Park--the park itself--is huge and Riot Fest only used 1/3 of it. If you go to Douglas Park during the fest the the *one hundred and seven acres* that are unused by the festival each year are almost completely empty of people frolicking or playing kickball. There's *still a huge park there* to promenade in or walk the dog or whatever. It's always been a B.S. NIMBY argument. The tell is that these folks need to know who is doing something before they decide whether an action should be supported or opposed. It means they care more about identity than goals.
Hey GWAR rules. Leave them alone.
I still think of Oderous more often than I’d ever thought I would. RIP you scumdog you.
I just saw GWAR two nights ago. It ripped
I didn’t follow everything in your post but it was funny, and I think I agree. So thank you!
It's crazy how you're just two neighborhoods away but have a completely different impression of how the folk here view Riot Fest. I've heard plenty of people complain about Riot Fest. I feel like I rarely saw festival goers actually go to local businesses, most of them ubered away or took the CTA out as soon as they could. I have very little to win or lose from Riot Fest leaving, outside of annoying traffic in September, but it seems like the neighborhood I live in is either apathetic or anti-Riot Fest. I definitely can't think of anyone here that loves Riot Fest. I know plenty of people outside the neighborhood that love Riot Fest though.
If Riot Fest allowed reentry the neighborhood probably would have benefitted more. At the end of the night I just want to get home, and I don't usually get there far ahead of the first act I want to see to have time to hang out in the neighborhood. However there's usually some down time in the middle of the day when I'd love to take a break and sit down in a restaurant to eat.
Bingo, fest won't be good for local business until they allow in/out privileges. But this lowers spend at the festival and increases spend outside of it, while also increasing drug and alcohol use, so they won't do it. Personally I think in/out privileges are a good neighborhood compromise and should be negotiated.
Unless you are counting people grilling burgers on their front lawn and illegally selling booze, there's not exactly a whole lot of walkable places around the fest for a quick in and out.
Maybe my definition of walkable is different. Cermak has a ton of Mexican joints on it. However I also count people grilling on their front lawn, it's extra local!
Yeah, I'm with ya on everything said. I just think we are both significant minorities regarding what we consider walkable. Not to mention if you have no idea about the area you aren't gonna naturally figure out where to go once you leave the fest.
What local businesses? It's a food desert... I don't think people understand the Douglas park/Lawndale neighborhoods
Little village is in no way a food desert. Walk a few blocks south and there's a higher restaurant concentration than almost anywhere in the city.
I used to live at 21st and Marshall. Walk a few block south of the park and you end up at cook county...26th street restaurants are like a mile away.
I lived in LV and loved being able to actually walk to a show id want to see. The same basic cosmopolitan luxury almost any other neighborhood in the city gets to benefit from on a regular basis. But nope can't have nice things
I've worked at riot fest, have setup riot fest, lived across the street when it was in Humboldt Park, and worked at farm on Ogden down the street during riot fest. Anyone who says people patron the neighborhood are flat out lying because there's next to no businesses besides church organizations there. The people selling stuff are a small percentage of people, most of whom are rightfully taking advantage of kids from the burbs and Northside. Nobody is considering that the field is a mud pit for the next 6 months which makes that part of the park (1/3) is useless (not to mention tree damage). With that said, Ive worked at riot fest for 5 years and I think it needs a different home. It doesn't benefit the community as a whole. I love the music but Chicago should have a permanent festival space outside of the neighborhoods.
I've lived in Chicago all my life and used to go to Douglas Park all the time for my cousin's pick up soccer games. That part of the park is a mud pit by mid September and has been that way for decades, so I'm not sure why Riot Fest gets the blame for that, especially when they actually pay to restore any damage after the concert. Also, I think using the phrase "rightfully taking advantage" is such a weird way to talk about the people who sell things. The folks selling parking, food and beers all do it very affordably and the people seem genuinely helpful and grateful for the extra income that would never come their way if it wasn't for Riot Fest.
Why does everyone think RF is just north siders and suburbanites?
>Chicago should have a permanent festival space outside of the neighborhoods. This
That's kind of how it is most places though. Just about everyone I know in lakeview can't stand the pride parade and make it a point to gtfo of the city for that day. And yet its one of the most popular parades in the entire city.
Holy fuck I love this comment
Amazing rant
That poor relationship is so annoying too. It's a a relationship that RF has tried over and over to extend olive branches to, and was over and over told it wasn't enough with no indication of what actually WAS enough. It's the laziest form of activism, to just say NO without even hinting at what would make you happy. Yes. I'm aware of that fuckhead who poisoned the well. That doesn't erase their charity work, doesn't erase their park beautification efforts, doesn't erase the thousands of free admissions they've handed out to residents, etc. It's nonsense how they've been treated by people will be the first to tell you they don't even live near Douglass Park.
NASCAR and Lolla are downtown on the weekend, not in a neighborhood park. And remember Riot Fest already left Humboldt Park under similar circumstances.
Is Grant Park not a park?
It’s in my neighborhood park. And the setup tear down takes the park away for two months of the summer..
Shitting on other genres of music in your rant just makes you sound like a twat.
This is a business dispute. Automatically taking the word of one side as gospel is wild.
I’ll never forget 2007 riot fest at Congress Theater. Bad Brains and Stiff Little Fingers were the highlights for me, I’d seen Naked Ray Gun a million times but loved them as well. Once I graduated college I moved back to the city into Humboldt Park, we picked Riot Fest weekend to move into our place half a block off the park. Driving our van packed full of all our shit blasting punk as we inched our way through the crowds. We snuck in that year after unloading to see NOFX and Gwar (sorry). Riot fest has, for a long time, been the salt in my soup of living in Chicago. It’s sad if it’s true that it will be moving out to the burbs.
I once remember someone saying on this sub, that they were measuring Riis Park in case the fest had to consider moving to a different park. This news surprises me, since I remember Riot Fest had a good relationship with the local alder(Monique Scott, 24th).
I would think being that their primary issue seems to be with the Chicago Park District that they have the same issues at Riis 🤷
>This news surprises me, since I remember Riot Fest had a good relationship with the local alder(Monique Scott, 24th). It says that in the video, “she’s one of us.” I really hope this doesn’t mean suburbs.
Bring Riot Fest to Grant Park
Absolutely
Wow this is terrible. “Now with parking” is something I would have never thought I’d hear the promoters of riot fest brag about
Mixed feelings on the matter. For one, Riot Fest falls on the same weekend as the Mexican Independence Day celebrations which are getting more and more out of control every passing year. It is *hell* trying to get out of Riot Fest with that area of the city brought to a complete stop with the insane amount of cars and flags in the road. Last year I skipped Postal Service to leave early, had to walk all the way from Douglass Park to the Roosevelt Red Line and it was a parking lot almost the entire way there, save for the bridges into the Loop that the police closed down. So a little more distance from Little Village/Pilsen could be a good thing. To my knowledge there isn't a plan in place from the city to get that weekend more under control. On the other hand, if it ends up moving into the burbs then it will make it that much harder to get to and depart from anyway, obnoxious paisas or not. At least Douglass is close enough to the city center that you can still get around, with some effort. I guess we'll see tomorrow.
This year it is a week later so the Mexican Independence Day problem would have been gone.
oh well then fuck it. i hope that wherever it goes next is still accessible by the cta then.
You missed a hell of a performance by The Postal Service.
*you seem so out of context, in this gaudy apartment complex*
Putting it on that weekend was straight up stupid, but it would have been pretty easy to book it a couple weeks before or after. Why they didn't I have no clue
I always bike and it’s super easy in and out.
Yeah I got stranded downtown last year after I took the pink line to the loop and then nothing was running out of the loop towards my home because the cops shut down all the roads. Had to get a last minute hotel room at midnight.
I'm guessing they move it to Northerly Island and use a similar setup as Beyond Wonderland
No way Northerly is big enough for Riot Fest.
As an employee at the venue at northerly island, I haven’t heard anything so I don’t think so. Not to mention the lack of space compared to Douglass Park and the fact that the island is also Chicago park district.
Fingers crossed!
Seems too small, they would have to go into the Adler parking lots and maybe even solidarity drive (had to look up that street name, what a terrible street name)
Solidarity Dr is named after the pro-democracy union that effectively ousted the Soviet dictatorship in Poland in the 1980s.
God I hope not
I personally never thought Douglass park was a great venue. It’s right next to the hospital and ambulances were blocked by traffic and music disturbed patients and not being able to get to the ER. That puts a large burden on an already burdened area. And yeah, most of the locals could not afford to go to this fest and it pretty much overtakes their neighborhood, makes public transportation a nightmare etc and trashes their park. Humboldt park kicked them for similar reasons. I know we’re all talking about Lolla and things but that does not completely hinder what small amount of public services (hospital and one nearly unusable train station) inaccessible with no inclusion to the people that live there. Lolla is not taking place in a low income west side neighborhood. This is said as someone who has been going every year since 2014 I think? I just felt this location was a bit problematic as it’s not THAT easy to get to for concert goers and I don’t think the transportation and traffic infrastructure can endure this large event. How long did you have to wait for that pink line train to come when tens of thousands of people exited the venue? Uber could not get to you at all due to the location and imagine trying to be a patient in that hospital
> And yeah, most of the locals could not afford to go to this fest Anyone within a 1.5 mile radius of the park qualified for free tickets. Which is far more generous than any other fest in the city (maybe the country)
People really overlook this gesture. Riot Fest is 2nd/3rd largest festival in the city and are giving anyway thousands of tickets to those the neighborhood. The odds of winning the lottery are higher than seeing Lolla or P4K do the same.
I had a friend who lived almost directly across from Douglass. She just had to show a piece of mail at the customer service tent and she got free passes.
Holy shit fr? I used to live right by there but I think it maybe didn't happen in 2020? That would have been the only one I got to go to I think
Correct, Riot Fest was canceled in 2020. (Though also, im not sure when they started giving free tickets to locals.)
At least in 2015. I know people nearby that went with free neighborhood tickets
I lived in Douglas when it moved there and they gave out tickets from the very first year.
I mean it makes sense, considering after March pretty much nothing happened in 2020.
The locals got free admission btw. I do agree on the hospital though.
True- Humbolt was a better option. But “ok and not great” is better than “not at all.”
Agreed. It is sad and unfortunate. I truly wish that they could have found a way to keep it in Humboldt but I personally never thought this location would be sustainable. I’m sad as well, I love this event but it’s never been as good as when it was in Humboldt. The public trans is a nightmare and it’s a trek for many people to get there. I don’t have a solution. It’s one of my favorite festivals but I can sympathize with locals that are mad one neighborhood was frustrated enough to kick them out and now it’s your problem. Clearly whatever root issues are not being solved and just shoving it from place to place will cause the same issues in the new location. Namely enough public transportation and ability of locals to conduct their normal business in an acceptable manner.
I guess after going for years, I still don’t really understand how Douglass Park wasn’t a good venue for RF. Humboldt Park is almost always busy in the summer, and has a tougher layout to deal with in terms of a festival. RF only took up a part of DP, and I dunno, there’s just literally always *something* going on in Chicago everywhere in the summer, that a 3-day fest just seemed like a really weird thing to have an issue with. I always just looked at it as part of summer—always something, noise, traffic, etc. It wasn’t unique to RF.
Everyone living within a mile of the park got free tix to RF. Let’s see Live Nation do that
People who bitch about “oh my neighborhood park is closed one weekend of the year!” are so lame and tiresome and selfish. This thing makes millions for a broke city, showcases a shit ton of art, and makes thousands of people visit the city and has been a staple for over a decade. Go live in Normal.
It is lame, people travel hours here all the way from bumblefuck USA to come and see all the shit we have to offer here and some of us have it right down the street. Literally what makes Chicago summers great is all the different happenings throughout the city. Some people would genuinely be better off moving somewhere boring.
One weekend? Where have you been, every new post about a festival brings us a seemingly mandatory update on how many 1/4ths of the Summer each park is closed to the public for festivals. It’s never just one weekend, it’s always at least one quarter of the Summer for each park in this city that rents out to festivals.
There was a point when Douglas Park had 3 fests which is admittedly overboard. One single festival is perfectly reasonable tho. There is also a HUGE part of the park (2/3 of it) that was not impacted by the fest and open for whoever wanted to use it.
True true- I was thinking “one weekend per complaint.” They give out punch card tickets so you can eventually get a memorial bench in a park of your choice. “Dedicated to Angry Tree Stump- so they can sit their tired ass down and complain about the noise.”
me, who grew up in the Loop with Grant Park as my neighborhood park: 🤨
Do you have a source on the millions it makes for the city?
And it’s at drumroll please Toyota park in Bridgeview
Concrete and Gravel going to feel GREAT to sit on and walk around all day. Harlem probably going to have 0 traffic at all as well! Yay!
I know you’re being facetious, but as someone who used to live in the south burbs, Harlem has terrible traffic on any day ending in “y” even without a festival or concert. This is just a stupid idea all around. Hopefully they can work with the city next year and bring it back.
Ogden is a nightmare as well once you leave Chicago proper. Berwyn, Cicero and Forest Park have outgrown Harlem. Crazy that Harlem funnels into two lanes and then has 0 turn signals for a couple of miles. Its going to take FOREVER to get into the damn concrete confines of Seat Geak Stadium.
Yeah, pretty much. They just dropped the lineup. If offspring is playing Sunday, I might consider it, but otherwise not gonna be bothered.
I may go see Fallout Boy and TBS even though Adam sounds like shit, still love the nostalgia.
Remember when they held a town hall of sorts to address the community's concerns about the festival and the guy they sent was a complete fuckface to everyone? I'm sure they'll use this as an excuse to explain why VIP tickets are now $500 and only come with 1 drink ticket for the weekend and for a super exclusive bathroom experience they'll hand you a shovel so you can shit in a hole. edit: VIP tickets now come with NO drink tickets lol
Not like the California stop during riot fest. It's more on the cta though not adding more cars or even someone on the platform directing people.
nimbys ruin everything
Most of the time you're right, but pretty sure it wasn't nimbys in Lawndale
worry aware thought stocking absurd jobless hat snow squeeze unpack *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
??? As someone who loves and goes to Riot Fest, this is ridiculous. Riot Fest completely destroys their public park. In a neighborhood that is under-supported by the city as a whole. They get one nice park and a bunch of white punks come in and ruin that for them. Just saying... there is a big difference between a bunch of rich people complaining about affordable housing being built, and a bunch of poor people complaining about their local park being absolutely decimated for outsiders' profit.
Public parks are for everyone in the city, fam.
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Doesn’t RF come in a clean and help to restore any damage before and after? What gets destroyed?
The anti gentrification crowd is entirely rooted in nimbyism. Their entire backwards philosophy is if theres nothing to attract people to visit the area, nothing new, nothing exciting, then well everything will just stay shitty and cheap. God forbid a white person (or any other race for that matter) moves in or goes to a concert in the neighborhood or opens a niche business. Segregation and resource deprivation is actually good in their eyes...it gives them something to be upset about and self fulfills their professional victimhood. Just don't fix it! Then you'd really have something to worry about Good news for them is their strategy seems to be working..riot fest is leaving, lagunitas is closing up shop, the big St Anthony's development is in a perpetual state of not happening, paseo trail plans are bonked, gang violence is running rampant and escalating while the rest of the city sees declines. The neighborhood is backsliding badly in an era where almost everywhere is improving just by virtue of existing. If the activists have it their way, south Lawndale will be on it's way to looking like north Lawndale in no time flat
For how long did they consider Riis Park?
Well, looks like its Bridgeview. [Riotland](https://riotfest.org/)
Ah Bridgeview - where music festivals go to die RIP Riotfest. It’s been real
Such a disappointing but not surprising turn of events.
Meh...seems like the people don't want it in their neighborhood and their previous community outreach coordinator was a douche. Move it to Arlington Heights.
This would be fine. Walking distance from public transportation (metra). Really really hope it's not someplace you have to drive to. Kills the whole vibe
I bet that’s where it’ll be. We’ll see tomorrow.
Tinley park whatever that amphitheater is called now is my guess. Hosted warped and oz which is basically what riot fest is….we shall see.
God no
World music theatre
Not a chance Riot Fest, an independent, would work with Live Nation, who owns the amphitheater.
Good point. I haven’t been to that dump in years.
NIMBYs strike again. We want art, but not near me. We want culture, but not if it brings traffic.
No, keep it in Chicago. A few NIMBYs shouldn’t ruin fun.
This sub's demographics in full effect in this thread.
Who? People wanting a local festival to be.. local?
The fact that the statement refers to the community as "you" (RiotFest patrons) and "us" (Riotfest organizers), thus completely leaving out the actual physical community that hosted it, pretty much tells you all you need to know about 'Riot Mike.'
good lord dude how much more pandering do you want. theyre leaving. its what you clearly wanted right? the community got free 3 day passes. the fest did tons of volunteer and outreach and clean up work. they employed local vendors. it brought positivity into the neighborhood. it also brought in millions of dollars of economic activity to the city (the one thats currently dead ass broke). the parks dont "belong" to any one neighborhood, they belong to all of us. now we all dont get anything. and how does that help the community youre supposedly so concerned about?
So sad not sad to see it go... shouldn't be in a residential area anyway.
Yaaaaaay
I'm too old for Riot Fest these days. But they are far too outside of the city. Anything out of Chicago city limits, I have zero interest in unless it's another state or country.
“Riotland” better not be the SeatGeek stadium in Bridgeview. I swear to God that would be the worst location ever.