Riot Fest begins in Chicago after move to the suburbs was called off
CHICAGO (CBS) — Riot Fest is back at Douglass Park Friday, kicking off a weekend full of music and fun, but if you ask some residents, it also brings major disruptions.
The frustration has a lot to do with residents who see this festival as problematic. Every year, it brings congestion, noise, and chaos to their community in what appears to be a peace offering.
Event organizers are granting nearby residents free access to the festival. Some tell us they'll take advantage of this perk, while others decide to stay away.
The gates opened just after 11 a.m. for the annual festival, which will feature nearly 100 bands playing live music over three days. As ticket holders swarmed the area, many residents braced themselves for the chaos they said usually ensues for the annual event, which includes everything from traffic congestion to endless noise.
It was not expected to happen this year at the park, as festival organizers months ago announced they were moving the event to suburban Bridgeview. However, in the 11th hour, the Chicago Park District granted a permit for the annual festival, bringing it back to Douglass Park.
This decision infuriated locals like Emmanuel Garcia, who said parking, among other things, is a disaster.
"It's beyond annoying because I can't use or move my car. If I decide to move it, I will lose my parking and won't get it back in a couple of days. I now have to ride around in a bike, which is not fair. Frustrated is an understatement," Garcia said.
"The thing is, it's good for people. But they destroy the park. They make a lot of damage," said resident Gustavo Espinozo.
In what appears to be a peace offering, event organizers are granting free access to the festival to Residents who live nearby.
It's a perk some of them tell us they'll take advantage of while others decide to just stay away.
CBS News Chicago reached out to Riotfest to see if someone could talk to us about that community outreach, but a spokesperson declined an interview, saying, "It's too chaotic to meet up today."
