Riot Fest is leaving Douglass Park on the West Side after nearly 10 years at the location.
The festival’s co-founder, Mike Petryshyn, shared the announcement in a video posted to social media and on the festival’s website Tuesday evening.
Petryshyn, also known as Riot Mike, blamed the Chicago Park District for the move but did not provide details.
“Riot Fest will be leaving Douglass Park,” Petryshyn said. “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.”
The festival is scheduled to take place Sept. 20-22. Petryshyn teased a new location dubbed “RiotLand,” details of which will be revealed at 10 a.m. Wednesday, an hour before the lineup is released.
“We’re not abandoning the community here ... we’re taking them on this journey as well,” Petryshyn said, referring to the 24th Ward, where the park is located.
Riot Fest moved to Douglass Park in 2015 following complaints from neighbors at its old location in Humboldt Park on the Northwest Side.
The complaints followed the festival to its new location. Residents and community organizers had long campaigned for Riot Fest and other summer music festivals to leave Douglass Park.
They claimed the festivals disturbed patients at nearby Mount Sinai Hospital and tied up park resources for local residents.
Supporters of the festival pointed to the benefits of an economic boost to the area from increased foot traffic.
Festival-goers would often be greeted by anti-riot fest graffiti on the festival’s perimeter. Last year, someone spray-painted “Get Out!!!” and “No Parks For Profit!” on a chain-link fence at the festival.
