Citing Dispute With Chicago Park District, Riot Fest Leaves Douglass Park For Bridgeview

CHICAGO — After more than a decade of holding Riot Fest in Chicago parks, organizers announced Wednesday the three-day music festival will relocate to the suburbs this year.

Bridgeview's soccer-specific stadium, 15 miles southwest of Chicago, will become "Riotland" with plans for five stages of music from Sept. 20 to Sept. 22.

The punk, rock and hip-hop festival, a fixture in Douglass Park since it moved from Humboldt Park in 2015, has faced increased friction from area activists and the Chicago Park District over noise, traffic and access restrictions at the West Side park.

Mike Petryshyn, co-founder of Riot Fest, blamed the park district for the move in a social media statement ahead of the announcement. He said he was not abandoning fans, but taking them along for the ride.

“Several weeks ago, I had enough. I was tired of Riot Fest continually being the lowest hanging fruit. I was tired of playing their games. I was tired of watching something I love being continually used to deflect away from their own internal deficits. This prevented us from giving us the experience you deserve," said Petryshyn, also known as "Riot Mike."

“So, it became evident change was needed. Riot Fest will be leaving Douglass 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," he added. "Their lack of care for the community, you and us ultimately left us no choice.”

The Chicago Park District responded to Petryshyn's announcement with a statement about the Riot Fest permit.

"The permit application for the event has not been withdrawn, and in fact it is currently pending provisional approval by the Park District Board of Commissioners," it said. "This approval process by the Board is one that was established two years ago for Special Events Permit Review and ensures that organizers engage community to get feedback about impact to community and dialogue about event production adjustments that should be considered to address community concerns."

Park District officials said they attempt to strike a balance between local interests and those of organizers of special events through a "comprehensive community engagement process," according to the statement, which included the word "community" 10 times in four paragraphs.

"Last year, Riot Fest organizers completed this process successfully, received a permit and hosted their event in Douglass Park," it said. "For large-scale events our top priorities are to minimize the impact on the community, protect our park assets and ensure the organizers are planning a safe and well-organized event. It is imperative that an event organizer work with and understand the community in which they are hosting an event."

The festival's lineup was announced Wednesday, with headliners set to include Beck, Public Enemy, Fall Out Boy, St. Vincent Slayer and the Marley Brothers.

The Chicago Red Stars, the National Women's Soccer League team that is the only permanent tenant of Bridgeview's municipal stadium after the Chicago Fire bought out the rest of its lease, had previously scheduled a home game at the stadium on Sept. 21.

“It is unfair and unfortunate to have our club put in this situation, shining a light on the vast discrepancies in the treatment of women’s professional sports versus men’s professional sports,” Red Stars President Karen Leetzow said in a statement following the Riot Fest announcement. "We are committed to ensuring our players and fans have a first-rate experience on and off the pitch, and we are working diligently to find a solution that will ensure our September 21st game is a success.”