Riot Fest & Carnival

Lineup

• Tool
• Twenty One Pilots
• Pierce the Veil
• Alanis Morissette
• Nas
• Morrissey
• Iggy Pop
• Pixies
• Patti Smith & Her Band
• Social Distortion
• Rise Against
• Bad Religion
• Pennywise
• Elvis Costello & The Imposters
• Public Image Ltd.
• Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter
• The All-American Rejects
• Alkaline Trio
• Taking Back Sunday
• Bright Eyes
• Twin Peaks
• GWAR

Schedule

1. Sept. 18 — Friday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; daily schedule/set times still to come.
2. Sept. 19 — Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; daily schedule/set times still to come.
3. Sept. 20 — Sunday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; city curfew means sets end by 10 p.m.

What to expect

Chicago's premier punk/rock/alternative festival turned 20 in 2025 — the 2026 edition continues the tradition. Three days, multiple stages, plus carnival rides and sideshow performers throughout Douglass Park. Known for booking artists who don't appear at other festivals — reunions, throwbacks, surprise sets. 2026 lineup TBA at time of writing. Originally a punk fest, now genuinely multi-genre with rock, alt, metal, emo, and hip-hop.

Tickets

Ticketed event through Tixr/Riot Fest. One-day, two-day, and three-day passes are on sale. GA permits one entry per day and no re-entry; VIP, Deluxe, and Deluxe+ include re-entry. GA tickets are delayed e-delivery in early September; most VIP/Deluxe wristbands ship or are will-call depending on purchase timing. Tickets are non-refundable/non-transferable, and third-party wristband problems may not be serviceable onsite.

Transit

🚇 Recommended: Public transit, bike, cab, rideshare. CTA Pink Line → California Ave (just blocks from entrance) is the most convenient route. Main entrance: W. Ogden Ave & S. Sacramento Dr. Bike parking provided by Working Bikes north of Ogden between Albany and Sacramento — free, but bring your own lock.

Bag policy

Standard fest bag rules. Re-entry NOT permitted with GA — VIP/Deluxe/Deluxe+ wristbands have re-entry.

Family-friendly

✅ All ages event. Children 5 and under FREE with ticket-holding adult. Carnival rides! Festival actively encourages bringing kids ('Exposing kids to awesome music is important'). With an infant, daytime stages + carnival area is your best bet. Bring ear protection — punk shows are LOUD.

History

Riot Fest was founded in Chicago in 2005 by Mike Petryshyn and Sean McKeough, spending its first seven years as a multi-venue indoor festival across clubs like the Metro and Congress Theater. In 2012 it expanded outdoors and was reborn as Riot Fest & Carnival — adding rides, games, and wrestling — before settling at Douglass Park on the West Side in 2015. The festival is one of the largest independently owned music festivals in the United States, celebrated for booking legendary reunions including The Replacements (2013), the Misfits (2016), and Jawbreaker (2017).

Local tips

1. The lineup is real now: Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Pierce The Veil, Alanis Morissette, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, Pixies, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Nas, Patti Smith, and more.
2. Do not overplan conflicts yet. Riot's official FAQ says the daily schedule will be available later.
3. Take the Pink Line to California. Riot explicitly recommends public transportation, bicycling, cab, or rideshare as the neighborly way to get to Douglass Park.
4. GA no re-entry matters. If you need to leave for a nap, child care, hotel break, or neighborhood meal, buy VIP or above.
5. Lineup discourse is part of Riot Fest: punk purists, nostalgia seekers, and pop-crossover fans are not all asking for the same bill. The source-of-truth job is to tell readers what is booked, then help them navigate it.

Frequently asked questions

When and where is Riot Fest 2026?

September 18-20, 2026 in Douglass Park. The main entrance and box office are near W. Ogden Ave. and S. Sacramento Dr.

What are the hours?

Official FAQ lists Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as 11 a.m.-10 p.m., subject to change.

Who is on the 2026 lineup?

Top names include Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Pierce The Veil, Alanis Morissette, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Pixies, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, The All-American Rejects, Nas, Patti Smith & Her Band, and many more.

Is re-entry allowed?

GA tickets allow one entry per day and do not permit re-entry. VIP, Deluxe, and Deluxe+ wristbands include re-entry.

Is Riot Fest all ages?

Yes. Children 5 and under are admitted free with a ticket-holding adult.

What is the Douglass Park community-impact context?

Riot Fest says its multi-year Park District agreement reinvests 30% of total event-related revenue into Douglass Park, compared with 10% in earlier agreements.