Riot Fest brings discourse to Douglass Park

April Klein, Asst. Arts & Life Editor • September 30, 2024

A volunteer clean-up member rests in the center of Douglass Park on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. Riot Fest is held in Douglass Park for a total of three weeks, including the set-up and deconstruction of the festival grounds.

Douglass Park streets were bustling as streams of visitors to the 19th annual Riot Fest once again took over the area this past weekend. An estimated 50,000 attendees worked their way to the south side of the city each day of the three-day fest.

Irene Tostado, communications director for the Chicago Parks Department, estimated that the festival would bring in $675 thousand in revenue for the city.

Attendees of the 19th Annual Chicago Riot Fest enter the grounds from the Old Route 66 pathway into Douglass Park on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 Headlining acts included Rob Zombie, Slayter, and Oliver Tree. (April Klein)

“Riot Fest meets the requirements for the Park Enhancement Fund, newly created to allocate 10% of the revenue from multi-day, permitted events with a daily attendance of 3,000 or more and reinvest it directly into the park that hosted the event,” Tostado said.

This success was not without tension, however — some residents of Douglass Park said that they were unhappy with the way Riot Fest took hold of the area for several weeks, including the construction of the festival grounds, the festival itself, and the cleanup efforts afterwards.

Local business owners were also unsatisfied with the crowds, whose size often blocked regular customers’ ability to access said businesses. This can leave the more vulnerable enterprises to struggle with finances.

When asked by The DePaulia about such concerns, Riot Fest emphasized their “Beyond the Fest” initiative, a push by the organization to promote local Chicago businesses and the area surrounding the festival. Alderwoman of the 24th Ward Monique Scott also cited this initiative as a reason to support the neighborhood through the festival.

Eli Buie, a senior at DePaul, was drawn to the fest because of the community offerings and Douglass Park itself.

Riot Fest attendees swarm the entrance to the festival on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. Douglass Park hosted an estimated 50,000 attendees per day according to the Chicago Parks District. (April Klein)

“I’m a big fan of the Weeping Willow pond area,” Buie said. “It’s very meditative and therapeutic.”

While the park was a draw, the alternative demographics of Riot Fest’s audience also inspired visitors to purchase on the minimum $270 weekend pass.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to communicate with awesome like-minded individuals,” Buie said. “If I had the time and the money, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.”