Frequently Asked Questions

RIOT FEST 2021
September 17–19, 2021 • Chicago, IL

JUMP TO:
Tickets, Orders & Upgrades
General Questions
Health & Safety
Transportation
Allowed / Not Allowed Items
Anti-Harassment Policy
Accessibility at Riot Fest _

TICKETS, ORDERS & UPGRADES

Can I buy tickets to Riot Fest 2021?

Currently, all 3-day and single-day passes to Riot Fest 2021 are sold out. We may release a small batch of single-day passes after we finish processing refunds and transfers. Stay tuned! (Also, did you see our big news for 2022?)

Can I get a refund?

I want to transfer my ticket to Riot Fest 2022 so I can see My Chemical Romance. How do I do that?

No problem, you can transfer your current Riot Fest order to 2022 until June 15, 2021. Due to border restriction uncertainty, international ticket holders can transfer until Aug 18, 2021. See all your ticketing options and step-by-step instructions by visiting our Refunds and Transfers page. Again, please note that all transfers are final, and unable to be reversed.

What does a GA ticket include?

A 3-day General Admission ticket will grant entry once per day to the festival grounds Sept. 17-19, 2021 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.

As a courtesy to Douglass Park residents, re-entry will not be permitted for GA ticket holders (as in, once you’re in for the day, you can’t leave and come back during the same day).

I bought tickets to Riot Fest 2020. Is my ticket good for 2021?

Yep! If you bought a ticket to Riot Fest 2020, your ticket is automatically valid for 2021 and no further action is necessary. You’ll also get into Riot Fest a day early for our exclusive Thursday Preview Party on September 16, 2021 (if your ticket was purchased prior to July 17, 2020).

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

Yes you can, if the requested ticket type is on sale and available. 2021 passes are currently sold out, so ticket upgrades are not available currently for this year’s festival.

To upgrade your 2022 ticket to a VIP/Deluxe/Ultimate pass, please refer to the following instructions. (Please note, instructions are slightly different if you want to upgrade and retain Preview Party access.) Email [email protected] for further assistance.

1. Purchase the new, “upgraded” ticket(s). 
2. Contact us. You can do this two ways. Either A) click the “Contact the Organizer” button from our ticket page or from your order confirmation email or B) email [email protected]
3. In your email, let us know you’d like to upgrade and include both order #s.
4. We will then refund your original order.

Hey! What about the Thursday Preview Party? Is that still happening?

You sure bet it is, if you bought a ticket before July 17, 2020. (You can’t gain access otherwise.) Read all about our Thursday Preview Party here.

How do I upgrade and keep my Preview Party access?

Yes, if you bought a ticket prior to July 17, 2020, and want to upgrade, the process is slightly different from a regular upgrade—please email [email protected] with the subject line “Preview Party Upgrade” for further assistance.

Are the 5 VIP beverage tickets for the whole weekend, or do we get 5 each day?

Each 3-day VIP pass includes five (count ’em, 5) beverage tickets total for the entire weekend (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).

I can’t find my ticket confirmation email! I need to change my address! I need help!

Slow down there, partner! We can easily resend your order confirmation email, not to worry. And since no tickets will be delivered via post, your physical address is irrelevant.

Before contacting us, please make sure you’ve attempted to locate your ticket through your Eventbrite account. You should be able to see it by logging into your account there. Make certain that you’ve logged into the correct account that is associated with the email address you used for purchase.

If that doesn’t work, and you still need help finding or updating your ticket information, here’s how to contact us:

1.  Log in to your Eventbrite account and go to “Tickets.” Select your order and then click “Contact the Organizer.”
2. If you’re unable to get into your Eventbrite acount, go ahead and email us at [email protected]

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

Does one Ultimate Cabana ticket include entry for 25 guests?

Each Ultimate ticket purchase grants entry to the festival and into VIP, Deluxe and Ultimate areas, plus access for one person to a cabana. The cabanas hold up to 25 people, but each person needs their own Ultimate pass.

The cabanas are assigned in the order that Ultimate patrons arrive. That is to say, you will be assigned a cabana when you arrive, and the cabana will hold up to 25 people. If your party is under the 25-person limit, it is possible that other Ultimate patrons outside of your party will be assigned to your cabana too. There is plenty of room and accommodations though for you all to enjoy the fest without intruding on one another.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

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

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

Do you have hotel recommendations?

Yes! Check out our Hotels page for a variety of discounted options!

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.

Can I re-enter the park throughout the day?

As a courtesy to Douglass 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. VIP, Deluxe, and Ultimate tickets permit re-entry.

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.

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

More info on this will be available later.

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.)

HEALTH & SAFETY

REGARDING COVID-19

Safety measures regarding COVID-19 are a top priority for us this year. We care deeply about our fans, staff, and artists here at Riot Fest—their health and safety is, and will continue to be, our #1 priority moving forward.

We will be continually updating our festival rules as we get closer to September; our safety guidelines will continue to evolve as we work with local and state health officials to offer you the clearest guidelines possible. There will be a number of extra safety measures we’ll be utilizing this year in the best interest of everyone attending, which include (but are not limited to):

• Extra sanitation & hand-washing stations across festival grounds—including entrances, bathroom areas, and merch tents
• Additional cleaning & sanitation measures for bathrooms, water stations, and other applicable areas
• Full compliance with local and state regulations regarding health screenings and mask mandates
• Entry may be subject to vaccination, testing, masking, or social distancing requirements

For the most up-to-date info, be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter. In the meantime, please continue to follow all state and local guidelines when it comes to public gatherings. We encourage everyone to stay masked—and, when available, to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s your turn! By attending Riot Fest, you voluntarily assume any and all risks related to exposure to COVID-19. 

MEDICINE / EQUIPMENT

Prescription medications are allowed at Riot Fest, as long as they’re in the original prescription 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 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.

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.

TRANSPORTATION

How do I get to Riot Fest? 

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 Douglass Park. The CTA Pink Line’s California Ave. stop is just blocks away from the festival entrance – the most convenient route to the fest.

Is there parking?

Detailed parking information will be available at a later date—please note that parking is extremely limited, and it is highly advised to have a different method of transportation.

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

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 & Carnival 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. 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

Is there a map of the festival grounds?

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

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

Daily schedules will be released closer to the festival.

Where can I download the Riot Fest App?

The Riot Fest app for iOS and Android will be available closer to the festival. It’ll have a map of the fest grounds, a schedule you can share with your friends, and probably some other helpful stuff.

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

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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 Cell phones
YES Raincoats
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 in 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.

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 2019 (*denotes Vegetarian and/or Vegan options):

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)

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 fest. 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 and they will follow your lead and work with you to try to make sure it does not happen again and that you continue to feel safe at our festival.

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.

Read our full Anti-Harassment Policy—including examples of what isn’t acceptable behavior—here.

ACCESSIBILITY AT RIOT FEST

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 [email protected] 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. 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 [email protected] with the subject line “ASL Interpreter Request”. Please send your request for specific performances no later than August 15, 2021. 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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