Riot Fest

Music fests in parks have long frustrated residents who are fenced out of public spaces. The new rules give communities more power to weigh in — but it remains to be seen if the board will listen.

Residents have for years voiced concerns about the festival being held at Douglass Park — and their frustrations came to a head this summer after a third mega fest moved into the park.

Festival operators may need to get Park District board sign-off for special events hosting 10,000 people or more a day in any of Chicago's public parks.

Riot Fest and two other music fests take over Douglass Park each summer. “When the park is locked down for 47 days in the summer, our kids have no place to go," one neighbor said.

A soccer team had to move practice after a player was cut by broken glass left in the field after a festival. Residents say instead of listening to their concerns, the city added two more festivals to the park in recent years.

Neighbors of Douglass Park can stop by Saturday to sign up for free tickets to the punk rock and alternative music festival.

A third major event, the Heatwave Festival, debuted this weekend at Douglass Park. Some residents are frustrated they are fenced out of their neighborhood park for weeks of the summer so private companies can profit.

Summer Smash took over much of Douglass Park Juneteenth weekend and Heatwave Festival and Riot Fest are coming later this summer. It can take weeks to set up and tear down the fests each time.

Three-day passes for the punk rock music fest at Douglass Park are on sale now.

The hip-hop music festival coincides with Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved people. Some are frustrated a private company seems to get first dibs on the park rather than residents.

Half of Douglass Park closes during music festival season, keeping sports teams and families out of the area's main park. While some neighbors are frustrated, others say it's worth the economic boost.

The Smashing Pumpkins, Lupe Fiasco and Coheed and Cambria took the stage for the rainy return of the annual festival.

Vaccines will be available 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the medical tent near the Douglass Park entrance at Ogden Avenue and Sacramento Boulevard.

Though some residents complain about the noise, traffic and damage to the park caused by festivals, organizers say they boost West Side businesses and bring people together.

The music festival is also hosting a job fair so it can hire nearby residents for temporary positions.

Three-day passes to the September festival quickly sold out last week.

Three-day passes for the punk rock music fest went on sale Friday but quickly sold out. One-day passes will go on sale next week.

More than 200 permit applications have been submitted for 2021 events, but whether fests can be staged is "fully dependent on where we are in the arc of the virus,” Lightfoot said.

Instead, the festival will be held Sept. 17-19, 2021, with a preview party that Sept. 16.