Riot Fest is leaving Douglass Park on the West Side after nearly 10 years at the location.
Festival co-founder Mike Petershin shared the announcement in a video posted on social media and on the festival's website Tuesday evening.
Petershin, also known as Riot Mike, blamed the Chicago Park District for the move but did not provide details.
“Riot Fest is leaving Douglas Park,” Petershin said. “And — let me be as clear as the azure sky in the deepest summer — our displacement is only because of the Chicago Park District.”
The festival is scheduled to take place from September 20 to 22. Petryshyn has teased a new site he's calling “RiotLand,” details of which will be revealed at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, an hour before the lineup is released.
“We're not abandoning the community here…we're taking them on this journey as well,” Petershin said, referring to the 24th District, where the park is located.
Riot Fest moved to Douglass Park in 2015 after complaints from neighbors at its old location in Humboldt Park on the northwest side.
Complaints followed the festival to its new location. Residents and community organizers have long campaigned for Riot Fest and other summer music festivals to leave Douglas Park.
They claimed that the festivals inconvenienced patients at nearby Mount Sinai Hospital and restricted the park's resources for local residents.
Supporters of the festival pointed to the benefits of economically boosting the area through increased foot traffic.
Festival-goers are often greeted by anti-riot graffiti on the festival's perimeter. Last year, someone drew the phrase “Get out!!!” and “No parks for profit!” On the chain link fence at the festival.
