Frequently Asked Questions

A 3-day General Admission ticket will grant entry once per day to the festival grounds Sept. 11-13, 2020 where you can watch performances across any of the stages throughout the park. This is also where the vendors and other fun things will be set up for your enjoyment. Sorry, but as a courtesy to Douglas Park residents, re-entry will not be permitted for GA ticketholders (as in, once you’re in for the day, you can’t leave and come back during the same day).

For VIP, Deluxe and Ultimate tickets, you can see what each ticket type includes here.

Yes, yes you can. To upgrade your ticket to a VIP/Deluxe/Ultimate pass, please refer to the following instructions:

If you would like to upgrade your festival pass, first purchase the new ticket(s) and then, with both confirmations (order #s) handy, click the “Contact the Organizer” button from our ticket page or your confirmation email, and they will assist in refunding your original Eventbrite purchase.

Slow down there, partner! If you need help finding or updating your ticket information, here’s how to contact the Eventbrite Attendee Support team:

– Click the Contact the Organizer button on the event listing page
– Click the Contact the Organizer button included in your order on the Tickets page of your Eventbrite account
– Call the support number included in the confirmation email (hours listed below)

Attendee Support phone hours:
Sunday: 11am – 5pm Central Time
Monday–Wednesday: 9am – 6pm Central Time
Thursday–Friday: 9am – 7pm Central Time
Saturday: 11am – 6pm Central Time

Riot Fest is a rain or shine event. Tickets are nonrefundable/nontransferable. All event information, including lineup, is subject to change.

Detailed parking information will be available at a later date.

If you must drive, please respect Douglas Park residents and do NOT park on residential streets surrounding the park.

Riot Fest suggests that fans either take public transportation, or ride a bicycle, or take a cab or ride-sharing service to Riot Fest. These are the most effective, environmentally sound, and neighborly methods to get to Douglas Park. The CTA Pink Line’s California Ave. stop is just blocks away from the festival entrance – the most convenient route to the fest.

CTA: Via the Pink Line
Just around the corner from the entrance to Riot Fest, this is the most convenient way to get to Riot Fest & Carnival in Douglas Park. Take the Pink Line and exit the train at the California stop.

Once off the train, head north on California, make a left (west) on 19th St., then a right on Albany Ave. Head north on Albany Ave, then turn right on Ogden Ave. and the Riot Fest entrance will be on your right at the corner of Ogden Ave. and Sacramento Dr. Total distance is only .71 miles.

Riot Fest is actively working with the CTA to increase service and frequency to and from Douglas Park. Please visit TransitChicago.com & the links provided below for service hours and more information.

Helpful CTA Links:
Schedules/Service Hours For Trains & Buses
Bus Tracker
Train Tracker
CTA System Map

A detailed map will be available closer to the festival dates.

Yes, we do have lockers. You can reserve them here.

The Riot Fest app for iOS and Android will be available closer to the festival.

Your safety at Riot Fest is our utmost priority, and all guests and their belongings are subject to search. Any prohibited item that is surrendered to security at search points will not be returned.

Our Allowed and Not Allowed lists are subject to change, and security reserves the right to make the final determination on allowed and not allowed items.

YES Blankets (But please, be courteous of other fest attendees and keep blankets out of pathways.)
YES Empty PLASTIC water bottle
YES Standard sized backpacks, bags, and purses
YES Non-professional cameras and digital cameras
YES Phone Chargers / Portable Phone Chargers
YES Strollers
YES Cellphones
YES Rain coats
YES Bug spray in NON-AEROSOL containers
YES Sunscreen in NON-AEROSOL containers
YES Hats
YES Earplugs
YES John Stamos
YES Prescription and OTC medications (subject to specific conditions*)
YES CamelBak-style water bladder systems (subject to specific conditions**)
YES Factory-sealed E-cigs (i.e., Blu, Juul, etc.) Refillable E-cigs and vape pens must be empty and juice refills are not allowed.

*Prescription medications are allowed only in the original prescription bottle, any persons attempting to bring in prescription medication must have a government-issued photo identification card that matches the name printed on the prescription, and the pills in the bottle must match the description printed on the prescription. Prescription quantity cannot exceed the prescribed amount needed while the patron is at the festival. Further, if a patron has mixed multiple pills in a single prescription container or if a person is attempting to enter with prescription pills in a non-prescription container, medical representatives should be involved to make the final determination about whether or not such pills are to be allowed in the venue. Over-the-counter medications are allowed in, provided that they are new and the original, factory-sealed container.

**CamelBak-style water bladder systems are allowed empty into the venue, however, the water bladders themselves must be capable of being removed from the carrier and must be transparent enough to allow security to visually inspect the empty bladder.  Any CamelBak-style water bladder system that cannot be removed from the carrier and/or is opaque enough to prevent visual inspection will not be allowed into the venue.

NO Selfie Sticks
NO Laptops
NO Crying
NO Littering
NO Native American Headdresses
NO Cantaloupe
NO Umbrellas
NO Pets (except service animals)
NO Professional radios or walkie-talkies
NO Glass and metal containers of any kind
NO CM Punk
NO Pineapple on Pizza
NO Hula Hoops
NO Illegal and Illicit substances of any kind
NO Chairs of any kind
NO Totems/signs on poles
NO Audio/Video equipment of any kind (including personal camcorders and GoPro cameras)
NO Professional cameras with removable lens
NO Coolers of any kind, including hard-sided and soft-sided coolers
NO Glass (Of any kind! Yes, that includes glass bottles, genius!)
NO Metal containers of any kind, including metal cans and reusable metal water bottles
NO Outside food and beverages of any kind
NO Bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters
NO Weapons, knives, or firearms of any kind
NO Mace
NO Fireworks or incendiary devices
NO Sharp objects, long chains, or anything that an unreasonable person could use to harm others
NO Soccer balls, footballs, frisbees, or other projectiles
NO Focused-light devices, including laser pointers
NO Air horns
NO Megaphones
NO Items intended for sale/promotion
NO Drones
NO Water guns, water balloons, and/or any other kind of water projectile
NO item(s) that can be used as a means to disturb the peace, endanger the safety of the crowd, and/or inflict damage to people and goods

We host a variety of food vendors each year, with multiple vegetarian and vegan options. Here is a list of our food vendors from Riot Fest 2019:

Aztec Dave’s
Bacci Pizzeria (GA and VIP)*
Billy Goat Tavern
Cold Stone Creamery*
Dark Matter Coffee*
Don Pez Fish Tacos
El Asador*
Festi Bowl*
Green Street Local*
Grumpy’s Homemade*
Gus’s Famous Fried Chicken
Home Bakery/Dumpling House*
Houndstooth Saloon*
Inspired Catering and Events*
Island Noodles*
Jerry’s Cherry Lemonade/Shaved Ice*
Lee Concessions (GA and VIP)
Main Street Grill (VIP)
Melissa’s Pal Crepes*
Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta*
Quang Noodle (GA and VIP)
Real Good Food & Catering*
Reggies*
Sabor a Cuba
Stable Foods/Soul Vegan*
Suzie’s Fun Foods*
Taco in a Bag
Taqueria Los Comales*
Cheesie’s (Food Truck)*
Harold’s Chicken (Food Truck)
Pink Taco (Food Truck)*
Whadda Jerk (Food Truck)
*Vegetarian and/or Vegan options

Daily lineups and schedules will be released closer to the festival.

Riot Fest has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for harassment of any kind. Read our full Anti-Harassment Policy here.

Riot Fest has a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian options for you to eat.

Riot Fest is committed to making the festival accessible for all festival attendees. Attendees who may need assistance should alert security upon arrival and inform them of their needs at the gates upon entry, where they’ll assist you in accessing the festival.

The festival grounds are wheelchair accessible, and while there are paved pathways to use across the festival grounds, some travel across the festival grounds will be over natural terrain. There is a possibility for mud or puddles if it rains. Those with trouble walking or standing should consider using an all-terrain wheelchair and/or attending with someone who can help navigate the vast festival grounds.

Upon arrival, make sure to visit the Information booth, located near the main entrance post-entry, to get a wristband and receive assistance onsite.

We want all Riot Fest attendees to have the best experience possible over the weekend. For anything that isn’t covered in this section, please contact us ahead of time with any questions or concerns at info@riotfest.org with the subject line “Accessibility” so we can assist you.

DROP OFF & PICKUP 

There will be a designated drop off and pick-up lane on the corner Ogden Ave. and Sacramento Dr. right by the main entrance.

A full map of the festival grounds will be released closer to the festival that highlights this area.

PARKING

There is also a limited amount of parking spaces reserved across the street from the drop-off/pick-up area.

A full map of the festival grounds will be released closer to the festival that highlights this area.

ACCESSIBLE VIEWING PLATFORMS

We have elevated viewing platforms stationed by all of our main stages. Please be sure to give yourself enough time to head to these viewing platforms early if you’re planning to see a headliner, as space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

SERVICE ANIMALS

Pets are not allowed inside the festival grounds, but we do allow trained service animals to accompany those with disabilities to Riot Fest. Please be ready to present your service animal registration when arriving at the festival. Emotional support animals are not allowed.

MEDICINE / EQUIPMENT

Prescription medications are allowed at Riot Fest, as long as they’re in the original prescription bottle. Any persons attempting to bring in prescription medication must have a government-issued photo identification card that matches the name printed on the prescription, and the pills in the bottle must match the description printed on the prescription. Prescription quantity cannot exceed the prescribed amount needed while the patron is at the festival.

If a patron has mixed multiple pills in a single prescription container, or if a person is attempting to enter with prescription pills in a non-prescription container, medical representatives should be involved to make the final determination about whether or not such pills are to be allowed in the venue.

If you have any other medical equipment, such as an oxygen tank, please be sure to present it at security when entering the festival.

Over-the-counter medications are allowed, provided that they are new and in the original, factory-sealed container.

Yes, of course you can. If you have pre-existing medical conditions that need medication, special diets or extra awareness, please talk to the security personnel at the entrance. They’ll take you to the first aid tent and make sure your medications or other needs are taken care of or stored should they need refrigeration.

* Prescription medications are allowed only in the original prescription bottle, any persons attempting to bring in prescription medication must have a government-issued photo identification card that matches the name printed on the prescription, and the pills in the bottle must match the description printed on the prescription. Prescription quantity cannot exceed the prescribed amount needed while the patron is at the festival. Further, if a patron has mixed multiple pills in a single prescription container or if a person is attempting to enter with prescription pills in a non-prescription container, medical representatives should be involved to make the final determination about whether or not such pills are to be allowed in the venue.

Over-the-counter medications are allowed in provided that they are new and in the original, factory-sealed container.

YES! Wear sunscreen, you fool. You don’t want to be sunburned and miserable all weekend.

No, but we’ll have hotel recommendations coming soon.

Yes. Coming soon.

Hell yes, you can. Riot Fest is all ages. Exposing kids to awesome music is super important.

Children 5 years old and under will be admitted (with a ticket-holding adult) for free.

As a courtesy to Douglas Park community members, re-entry is not permitted for GA pass holders. A multi-day GA pass will allow you to enter the grounds once each day listed on the ticket.

We will be seeking residents from North Lawndale and Douglas Park-adjacent communities to work in temporary positions during this year’s festival. More information on this will be available this summer.

In addition, you can earn free Riot Fest tickets in exchange for helping us spread the word about our festival and the club shows we put on throughout the year. Read more about the Riot Fest Street Team here.

More info on this will be available later.

No. Riot Fest does not and will not use facial recognition technology at their events. We couldn’t afford even if we wanted to.