From September 19 through 21, 90 bands will rock Chicago’s Douglass Park as Riot Fest marks two decades of music. This festival started in 2005, and Blink-182, Weezer, Jack White, Weird Al Yankovic, and Green Day stand at the top of an impressive bill.
The three-day music blast will see twenty acts play their classic records from start to finish. Fans can catch Weezer ripping through The Blue Album while Sex Pistols blast out Never Mind the Bollocks. The fest just signed on to stay at Douglass Park until 2027, with a shot at sticking around until 2029.
“We didn’t plan on making it for twenty years. We planned on making it through one weekend. But here we are — still loud, still weird, still building something bigger than we ever meant to,” said festival founder “Riot Mike” Petryshyn to Rolling Stone.
Music fans can catch The Beach Boys, IDLES, Alkaline Trio, Rilo Kiley, Shudder to Think, Superchunk, and Bad Religion across five stages. The grounds can pack in 50,000 people each day of the fest. Parts of the park, mainly south of Ogden Avenue, will stay open for locals. Besides music, visitors can take carnival rides, check out sideshow acts, and grab food from nearby spots. The festival will create jobs and support local businesses.
Three-day passes start at $300, with fancier VIP options if you’ve got extra cash. Buy tickets quickly since they could sell out.
