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Austin, Garfield Park, North Lawndale

Lyrical Lemonade Leaves Douglass Park For Suburbs; 2nd Fest To Relocate After Pushback From West Siders

Neighbors protested last year after Riot Fest, Summer Smash and Heatwave took over much of the park. Heatwave is moving to Northerly Island this year.

Fans pack around the stage as Lil Yachty performs during the first day of The Summer Smash Festival in Douglass Park on Aug. 2021.
Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
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NORTH LAWNDALE — Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash is heading to southwest suburban Bridgeview this year, the second of three music festivals to leave Douglass Park amid protests from West Side neighbors.

Summer Smash will be June 23-25 at SeetGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, organizers announced in a tweet and on its website Wednesday.

West Side neighbors organized throughout the summer and fall to reclaim Douglass Park after Heatwave Music Festival, Riot Fest and Summer Smash closed down parts of the park to neighbors for weeks at a time.

RELATED: With Much Of Douglass Park Closed To Public For 3 Music Fests, Some Residents Say ‘Almost The Entire Summer Is Ruined

Some neighborhood youth programs and sports teams had to relocate due to the closures, while neighbors said they ran into issues like trash and glass being left in the park after the events departed. They held protests and met with officials, demanding more input into how the park district schedules private events on public space.

Eventually, in November, the Park District pledged to give all Chicagoans more of a say in what events happen at their neighborhood parks.

Heatwave organizers announced last month they were moving the June 10-11 event to Northerly Island.

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