Frequently Asked Questions

TICKETS, ORDERS & UPGRADES

WHERE TO BUY TICKETS TO RIOT FEST 2023

ONLINE:
3-DAY PASS (ALL TYPES)
2-DAY PASS (GA ONLY) FRI + SAT, SAT + SUN, or FRI + SUN
1-DAY PASS (ALL TYPES) FRIDAY, SATURDAY, or SUNDAY

IN-PERSON: You can also get 3-day and 1-day GA ONLY tickets in person to avoid extra fees! See details HERE.

**Additional information on ticket types and amenities is available here. For good measure, sign up for our newsletter and never miss a beat.

THE DAILY SCHEDULE WITH SET TIMES
The schedule is finally here!

TROUBLE WITH YOUR ORDER? Tixr Fan Support is here to help!

WHAT DOES EACH TICKET TYPE INCLUDE?

A General Admission ticket (no wristband) will grant entry once per day to the festival grounds Sept. 15–17, 2023 where you can watch performances across any of the stages throughout the park. Hold on to your ticket! You’ll use the same ticket to scan in each day.

As a courtesy to our neighbors, re-entry will not be permitted for GA ticket holders— this means that once you’re in for the day, you can’t leave and come back during the same day. Dem’s da rules.

Want somethin’ a little fancier? Visit the Riot Fest Ticket Page for all the ticket options! VIP, Deluxe, and the all-new Deluxe+ pass.

Please note: VIP, Deluxe, and Deluxe+ tickets will need to be swapped for a cloth wristband at the box office before you can enter the festival. Each 3-day wristband will be placed on the attendee’s wrist and is to be worn all weekend by the same person.

I HAVE A LOST, DAMAGED, OR TIGHTENED WRISTBAND. CAN I GET A REPLACEMENT?

Wristband replacement is subject to verification of the order. If you need a replacement, please bring your wristband, order confirmation and government-issued ID to Wristband Assistance near the entrances of the festival. Please note there is a $25 wristband replacement fee.

*We are only able to provide a replacement for wristbands purchased through the Riot Fest website/Tixr. We cannot assist with orders purchased through third parties.

LAYAWAY PAYMENT PLANS?

Payment plans were an available option during the checkout process in Tixr. **The last day to purchase with a payment plan was Aug 11 and full payment is due Aug 30. For all the details on payment plans, click here.

DO I HAVE TO PRINT MY GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET?

No, it is not required. We just recommend that you print it as a backup. Tickets are set for delayed delivery and will be issued Aug 30.

Can I upgrade my ticket after I’ve bought it?

Yes! To upgrade your 2023 ticket, first purchase the new ticket, then contact Tixr Fan support by filling out a Tixr Fan Support request form or emailing them at [email protected] and they will help you out. You must provide both order numbers and they will refund the original order. *Restrictions apply.

**Riot Fest is a rain-or-shine event. Tickets are non-refundable. All event information, including the lineup, is subject to change.

What is Tixr Rewards?

After you buy your Riot Fest ticket, sign up for Rewards to earn points for the perks below!

• Bring 3 Friends, Get 10% Off Your Ticket
• Bring 6 Friends, Get 20% Off Your Ticket
• Bring 7 Friends, Get Unlimited Carnival Rides
• Bring 8 Friends, Get a $100 Merch Voucher
• Bring 10 Friends, Get Upgrade to Deluxe Ticket

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GENERAL QUESTIONS

Read the FIRST TIMER’S GUIDE!

Read the TRANSPORTATION GUIDE!

The Riot Fest 2023 Lineup is out now!

What time do the bands play each day? Is there a schedule?

We will release a detailed schedule with set times for each day closer to the festival. Stay tuned and if you haven’t already, download the RF app and sign up for our newsletter!

What time do gates open each day?

Festival gates open at 11:00 am CT and curfew is 10:00 pm CT each day of the event (Fri-Sun).

Can I re-enter the park throughout the day?

As a courtesy to neighbors, re-entry is not permitted for GA ticket holders. VIP, Deluxe, and Deluxe+ wristbands permit re-entry; a GA ticket will allow you to enter the grounds once each day listed on the ticket.

Do I have to enter Riot Fest before a certain time?

Nope. Gates will be open until the festival concludes each night—so if you work Friday, you can still make it to see your favorite band if you’re coming later!

Where can I put my stuff? Do you have lockers?

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

Is camping allowed at Riot Fest?

All attendees are to exit the premises at the end of each night. There are no camping areas, nor is it allowed on the festival grounds. Please do not camp. We are not in the woods.

I am an awesome parent. Can I bring my kid? Is Riot Fest all ages?

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.

Should I wear sunscreen?

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

What types of payment are accepted at Riot Fest?

Typically, cash and cards will be accepted onsite (but payment may vary by vendor). ATMs will be available across the festival grounds.

I live around Douglass Park. How do I get Riot Fest tickets?

Each year, we invite our Douglass Park neighbors to come out and enjoy Riot Fest, September 15–17, free of charge. We value community inclusion and want our neighbors to feel that Riot Fest is not only something they can take part in but also something they can be proud of. Details on eligibility and registration can be found on the Community Ticket Registration page.

Does Riot Fest use facial recognition?

No. Riot Fest does not and will never use facial recognition technology at their events. (We couldn’t afford it even if we wanted to.)

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HEALTH & SAFETY

At this time, Riot Fest does not have any Covid-related requirements for entry. All restrictions are currently lifted in the City of Chicago. However, this is subject to change. The safety of all patrons is our top priority, and we will continue to work in conjunction with city health officials to ensure we follow all appropriate guidelines. If any policies change, we will make announcements accordingly. For further information regarding Covid-19, please visit www.Chicago.gov.

MEDICINE / EQUIPMENT

Prescription medications are allowed under the following conditions:

• Must be in the original bottle.
• Quantity cannot exceed the prescribed amount needed while at the fest.
• Must have gov’t-issued photo ID that matches the Rx bottle.
• Don’t mix different pills in one bottle.

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 direct you to the first aid tent and make sure your medications are stored should they need refrigeration and that any other needs are taken care of.

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.

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TRANSPORTATION

How do I get to Riot Fest?

We strongly urge festival attendees to either take public transportation, 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 Douglass Park. The CTA Pink Line’s California Ave stop is just blocks away from the festival entrance—it’s the most convenient route to the fest.

Where can I park my bike ?

Bike parking, provided by Working Bikes, a local organization of bada$$es, will be available at 19th and California Ave. Check out our transportation guide for more info.

Riding The 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 in Douglass 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. (The total distance is only .71 miles!)

Riot Fest is actively working with the CTA to increase service and frequency to and from Douglass 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

Parking

There will be limited spaces available near UIC at the locations below. The rate is $9/day for evenings (3pm – 8am) and on weekends (per 24 hour period).

**This link will be updated as more information becomes available.

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IS IT ALLOWED AT RIOT FEST?

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 / Not Allowed list is subject to change, and security reserves the right to make the final determination on allowed and not allowed items.

YES Air loungers
YES Blankets (But please, be courteous of other fest attendees and keep blankets out of pathways.)
YES Breastfeeding pumps — We have an EMT/Medical tent and a Family tent available on-site, both of which have electric outlets and would provide a comfortable and secure area to pump. The Family tent will be located by the Information Booth, near the main entrance. A standard hard-sided cooler will not be permitted, however, a soft-sided insulated lunch box cooler bag is allowed.  If you have any trouble at the main entrance, please request a Supervisor and/or medical representative.
YES Bug spray in NON-AEROSOL containers
YES CamelBak-style water bladder systems (bladder must be transparent, empty, and removable)
YES Camping/stadium seats (like this)
YES Cell phones & portable chargers/batteries
YES Earplugs
YES Empty PLASTIC water bottle, ie. a Nalgene or similar reusable bottle. No metal, no glass.
YES Factory-sealed E-cigs (i.e., Blu, Juul, etc.) ONLY
YES Fans – small (approx 10″ or less) motorized handheld fans, neck fans, & paper fans.
YES Hats
YES John Stamos
YES Medical mobility devices, both powered and manual. ie. Canes, crutches, knee scooters, walking sticks, walkers, & wheelchairs.
YES Non-professional cameras and digital cameras, ie. Point-and-shoot. (No cameras with removable lenses.)
YES Phone Chargers / Portable Phone Chargers/batteries
YES Prescription and OTC medications (subject to specific conditions – refer to Health and Safety section)
YES Raincoats & ponchos
YES Standard sized backpacks (like a school backpack), bags, and purses. They don’t have to be clear.
YES Strollers & soft-sided wagons
YES Sunscreen in NON-AEROSOL containers

NO Air horns
NO Audio/Video equipment of any kind (including personal camcorders and GoPro cameras)
NO Bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters (inside festival grounds)
NO Cantaloupe
NO Chairs with metal frames (except medical devices, obviously)
NO CM Punk (Until he apologizes for what he did…)
NO Coolers of any kind, including hard-sided and soft-sided coolers
NO Crying
NO Drones
NO Eve 6 or people who follow Eve 6 on Twitter
NO Faygo (sorry, Juggalos & Juggalettes)
NO Fireworks or incendiary devices
NO Focused-light devices, including laser pointers
NO Glass and metal containers of any kind
NO Glass (Of any kind! Yes, that includes glass bottles!)
NO Glow sticks
NO Hula Hoops
NO Illegal and Illicit substances of any kind (Chicago Cannabis Consumption & Possession Laws)
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.
NO Items intended for sale/promotion
NO Kid Rock’s stupid ass and any Kid Rock fans
NO Laptops
NO Littering
NO Mace
NO Megaphones
NO Metal containers of any kind, including metal cans and reusable metal water bottles
NO Native American headdresses
NO Outside food and beverages of any kind (*unless medically necessary)
NO Pets (except service animals)
NO Pineapple on Pizza (Jen does not agree with this rule)
NO Professional radios or walkie-talkies
NO Professional cameras with removable lens
NO Selfie Sticks
NO Sharp objects, long chains, or anything that an unreasonable person could use to harm others
NO Soccer balls, footballs, frisbees, or other projectiles (ie. glow sticks)
NO Totems/signs on poles
NO Water guns, water balloons, and/or any other kind of water projectile
NO Weapons, knives, or firearms of any kind
NO Umbrellas

I am vegan, or vegetarian, or have severe food allergies. What can I eat?

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 2021 as an example (*denotes Vegetarian and/or Vegan options):

Novi’s Beef
Island Noodles*
Suzie’s Fun Foods LLC*
Cold Stone Creamery*
Bacci Pizzeria*
Don Pez Fish Tacos
Premier Catering & Events
Fro-Zen Smoothies*
Billy Goat Tavern
Dark Matter Coffee*
Taco In A Bag
Quang Noodle*
Lee Concessions*
Dumpling House*
Royal Ice Cream*
Reggies*
Harold’s Chicken
Adriana Escarcega Quesadillas*
Home Team Pizza*
Josephine’s CookingA&M Italian Ice*
Gold Coast Market
CoCo Crissi Italian Ice*

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RIOT FEST ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY

Riot Fest believes everyone should feel safe during the music festival. We will help maintain this by not tolerating harmful behaviors, which may include non-consensual touching or verbal harassment. If a participant chooses to break these policies, they may be removed from the festival grounds and/or be banned from attending in the future. 

Riot Fest has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for harassment of any kind, including but not limited to: race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, age, body size, disability, appearance, religion, citizenship, pregnancy.

Harassment includes but is not limited to: stalking, verbal or physical intimidation, offensive verbal comments, physical assault and/or battery, harassing or non-consensual photography or recording, bathroom policing, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome physical attention.

If someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, no matter how minor it may seem, please do not stay silent. You can report it to any Riot Fest staff member, including those stationed at our Info Booth or at the Our Music My Body tent. We’ll follow your lead, work with you, and do our best to prevent it from happening again—so that you can continue to feel safe at our festival.

Read our full Anti-Harassment Policy here, which includes written examples and scenarios of what isn’t acceptable behavior. 

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ACCESSIBILITY AT RIOT FEST

Riot Fest is committed to making the festival accessible for all festival attendees. We’re happy to offer accessible entrances, viewing platforms, and bathrooms, along with ramps around the curb lines of Douglass Park (in addition to existing sidewalk inclines). There is a drop-off & pick-up area, detailed below.

If you need any assistance entering the festival grounds, please notify security upon arrival and inform them of your needs. They’ll be able to help you access the festival once notified. Make sure to visit the Accessibility Tent post-entry—located near the main entrance—to get a wristband and receive further assistance onsite. There are outlets on the festival grounds for those who may need to charge equipment such as a powered wheelchair.

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

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 [email protected] with the subject line “Accessibility” so we can assist you.

DROP-OFF, PICKUP, & PARKING

There will be a designated drop-off and pick-up lane on the corner of Ogden Ave and Sacramento Drive right by the main entrance. There is designated, first-come-first-served ADA parking near the main entrance. MAP LINK.

ACCESSIBLE VIEWING PLATFORMS

We have elevated viewing platforms stationed by all of our main stages, each equipped with a ramp. Since space on these platforms is limited, please note that only one guest is allowed to accompany an attendee with an accessibility wristband, if needed. 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. Emotional support animals are not allowed.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) INTERPRETER REQUESTS

We’re here to make Riot Fest inclusive to those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Requests for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances can be submitted to Info@RiotFest.org with the subject line “ASL Interpreter Request”. While we are unable to offer ASL interpreters for every performance, we will carefully review each request and assign interpreters based on demand.

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COMMUNITY

Since 2016, Riot Fest has called Douglass Park its home. We value community inclusion, and we want our neighbors to feel that Riot Fest is not only something they can take part in, but also be proud of. You can read a list of our community involvement highlights here.

Each year, we launch a series of community initiatives to support the communities surrounding Douglass Park, such as (but not limited to):

• Community Job Fairs: Multiple hiring events providing paid, temporary positions for locals to work the festival weekend. More info here.
• Community Ticket Registration: Neighbors within the pre-determined radius of Douglass Park may register for complimentary festival entry. Find out more information here.
• The Douglass Park Beautification Initiative: a series of volunteer park cleanups organized by the festival. More info here.