快播视频

Riot Fest Multi-Year Agreement FAQs

Posted April 9, 2025

The 快播视频 is committed to activating parks in every neighborhood and collaborating with the community to determine how best to meet their needs. Following the overwhelming support from community leadership, residents and other key stakeholders, including the local Alderwoman, and Douglass Park Advisory Council, the Park District is excited to enter into a multi-year agreement with the organizers of Riot Fest to host the event in Douglass Park.

The new agreement incorporates enhanced benefits, including increased revenue for the Park District and an unprecedented give back for Douglass Park:

Under this multi-year agreement, the 快播视频 will pilot a 30% give back policy for Douglass Park, approximately $1 million to fund improvements at the park.

These funds will be allocated by local community residents via a participatory budgeting process. Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions we have received on the Park District鈥檚 multi-year agreement with Riot Fest and the enhanced benefits this agreement provides to the community.

 

What are the terms of the Riot Fest multi-year agreement? 
The agreement is for three years (2025-2027) with an option for a two-year extension (2028- 2029).

 

How much will Riot Fest pay in permit fees?
The new permit fee structure allows for increased revenues for the Park District as well as the Douglass Park community. The annual permit fees will equal the greater of

  • a guaranteed minimum annual payment of $575,000 with a $15,000 increase annually
    or
  • revenue shares from ticket sales:
    • 2025 - $5.25 per ticket
    • 2026 - $5.375 per ticket
    • 2027 - $5.50 per ticket
    • 2028 (extension) - $5.625 per ticket
    • 2029 (extension) - $5.75 per ticket

Under the agreement, including the two-year extension, the Park District could see $3 million to $4.5 million in revenue from the three-day festival that attracts approximately 50,000 per day.

 

What are the benefits to the community?
The Riot Fest multi-year agreement includes significant community benefits, including up to $4.5 million in revenue that supports park programs citywide, of which an approximate $1 million give back in capital investment will be made in Douglass Park, to be allocated via a participatory budgeting process. Regarding the give back, in addition to the permit fee, Riot Fest will fund a 10% give back to capital improvements in Douglass Park. Separately, the Park District will pilot an increase of its 10% give back policy to 20% for this event at Douglass Park. As a result, Douglass Park will receive a 30% give back in total which is three times the allocation of last year鈥檚 festival. The Park District also announced the pilot of its first-ever participatory budgeting process to give community members input on how the give back will be spent.

Additionally, Riot Fest will provide the following community benefits:

  • Complimentary Tickets 鈥 100 multi-day GA tickets (or equivalent) valued at $30,000 each year for Park District use (e.g., to raffle for summer program funds).
  • 鈥淏eyond the Fest鈥 Year-Round Community Engagement & Investment
    • Complimentary Tickets
    • Local Jobs
    • Food & Nonprofit Vendor Booths
    • Event Sponsorship
    • Paid Internship Program
    • Scholarships
    • Hospital Safety Programs
    • Vendor workshops
    • Local Artists & Musician Support

 

Now that Riot Fest has a multi-year agreement, what requirements must be fulfilled for the event to move forward?
As an event with daily attendance of 10,000 or more, Riot Fest will be required to submit and execute a community engagement plan annually. In addition, the organizer will still be required to submit permit fees, and numerous other annual permit checklist requirements, including but not limited to insurance, a security plan, medical plan and approvals from other city agencies depending on the features of the event.

 

If approved, will Riot Fest organizers still be required to seek provisional Board approval annually?
Riot Fest must comply with all annual permit requirements. However, consistent with other permitted events with multi-year agreements, Riot Fest would not be required to seek provisional approval annually from the Park District Board of Commissioners.

 

What was the amount of permit fees remitted to the Park District by Riot Fest for 2023 and 2024?
Riot Fest organizers paid just over $680K in permit fees to the Park District in 2023 and $675K in 2024.

 

How much permit revenue has Riot Fest generated for the Park District since its arrival to Douglass Park in 2015?
The Park District has received more than $3 million in Riot Fest permit fees since 2015. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Riot Fest is projected to generate up to $4.5 million for the parks in five years.

 

How was the permit revenue for Riot Fest calculated previously? Is it true Riot Fest used to receive a discount?
Prior to 2023, the Park District and Riot Fest operated under Permit Agreements that reflected negotiated flat fee permit fees, not based on a formula. In each of these years, Riot Fest paid the amounts due as agreed upon.

The Park District responded to questions on this topic in a September 15, 2022 news article but there may still be some confusion due to the manner in which the flat rates were mistakenly entered into our permit system in earlier years as 鈥渄iscounted鈥 rather than 鈥渇lat rates.鈥 We have since changed this to avoid any confusion going forward.

The Park District is committed to continuing to provide a thorough and transparent explanation for past and future fee calculations.

 

Why doesn鈥檛 the Park District reinvest all permit from Riot Fest into Douglass Park?
Most parks do not generate enough revenue through their fees alone to be self-sustainable and some parks generate no revenue. To ensure the vitality of all parks, special event revenues, such as permit fees, go to the District鈥檚 general fund which supports parks and park programming across the city. Last year, the District launched the Park Enhancement Fund to allocate 10% of the revenue from certain multi-day permitted events to fund capital improvements at the park that hosts the event. As a result, $67,500 has been allocated for capital improvements to Douglass Park from Riot Fest permit fees in 2024.

 

Is it appropriate to permit an event of this size in a neighborhood park?
In addition to community support, there are many Park District and City of Chicago requirements, including a community meeting, that must be fulfilled in order for an event of this size to be permitted.

 

How will this year鈥檚 event impact public access to the park?
Consistent with all permitted events, the Park District is working with Riot Fest to ensure public access to the park is impacted only as necessary. The festival will occupy selected areas of Douglass Park, leaving approximately two-thirds of the park accessible at all times. The park space north of Ogden will remain open and accessible for public use, as well as the tennis courts, basketball court, football field, track and various playgrounds.

 

Does Riot Fest violate the Chicago Noise Ordinance?
The Chicago Noise Ordinance (MCC 8-32-010 et seq.) prohibits excessive noise, including the prohibition of noise in 鈥渘oise sensitive zones鈥 like areas around schools, libraries open to the public, churches, hospitals, and nursing homes.

However, the Noise Ordinance carves out exemptions for certain outdoor special events, like music festivals. Riot Fest meets two of those exemptions:

While large events, like Riot Fest, are exempt from the Chicago Noise Ordinance, including restrictions around 鈥渘oise sensitive zones,鈥 Riot Fest organizers have taken steps to address noise-related concerns, including: 1) Directional speakers positioned away from nearby hospitals and residences; 2) Controlled DB levels- an audio engineer regulates sound levels to Max 95db. 'Hard limit' levels to prevent unexpected volume surges; 3) Advanced P.A. system with beam steering technology for enhanced sound directionality; and 4) real-time noise monitoring for prompt adjustments. Additionally, the Park District recently met with the two neighboring hospitals for direct feedback on their experience and they confirmed improvements have helped to mitigate some of the impacts, and they have indicated a willingness to continue addressing concerns as the event proceeds. The Park District will continue to work with the organizer of Riot Fest to build on this progress.

 

To the extent these types of events require public resources, are they worth it?
Riot Fest and other neighborhood festivals contribute to the rich, cultural landscape of our communities and the entire city. In addition, permitted events generate vital revenue that supports parks and park programming 鈥 a total of $22.4 million is projected this year. They also generate significant local economic impact and invite city residents and tourists to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer outside of the festival. These events obviously require strong community support, including the backing of the Alderperson, in order to be successful, which Riot Fest has garnered.

 

What is the ecological impact of Riot Fest at Douglass Park? How does the event impact the soil at Douglass Park?
Soil compaction is a common issue in many of our busy parks with athletic fields and the Park District works continuously to restore impacted portions of our parks.

In the spring of 2025, the Park District will close a portion of the field for more intensive restoration work in addition to the annual aeration and seeding that will be performed. Topsoil with compost will be brought in to fill low spots that tend to hold water, and the entire area will be aerated and seeded with a grass mixture that is designed to provide both quick initial growth and long-term durability. Landscape maintenance staff and plumbers will coordinate to improve the function of field drains during this work. The portion of the field that will not be closed for intensive restoration will remain open for athletic use this Spring and will be restored in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, depending on conditions.

As typical operating procedure required for all large events in parks, Park District staff conduct a pre and post-event walkthrough with the event permittees for each event to identify any impact to the park needing restoration due to the permitted event. The cost for restoration of any identified damaged areas is the responsibility of the event permittee and are not a cost absorbed via the permit fee or other event revenue to the Park District.

Additionally, last year the Park District conducted a post-fest walk-through of Douglass Park with community advocates to discuss the soil compaction and ecological impact. Moving forward, per the direction of Superintendent Ramirez-Rosa, the Park District鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources would like to host a community walk-through prior to any large event at Douglass Park. Superintendent Ramirez-Rosa and the Park District believe this pre-event walk-through with community advocates would provide the community with greater accountability and transparency as it relates to the impact of any large event at the park.

 

Is a multi-year agreement necessary?
The District works with event organizers of small and large-scale events, either through the annual permit process or agreements for more than one year.

The annual special events permit process may not be the best mechanism for organizers of large-scale events, like Riot Fest, that require a longer timeframe to operate such events. The Park District always remains open to work with organizers on a plan that may best suit the community and the organizer鈥檚 goals. Permits and/or agreements for multi-day events with more than 10,000 attendees require board approval.

 

Outside of the give back policy, how has the Park District invested in Douglass Park?
Much of our discussion with the Douglass Park community has not just centered on Riot Fest, but on historic disinvestment in North Lawndale and the areas surrounding the park, including economic, health, and education disparities.

The Park District recognizes that a history of segregation and disinvestment has led to contemporary challenges for Chicago鈥檚 communities. That is why the Park District is committed to leveraging our resources 鈥 like our parks and programming 鈥 to help address these disparities and create a more just and equitable Chicago. The Park District鈥檚 2025- 2030 Strategic Plan includes our vision and plan as it relates to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion and promoting health and wellness for all communities.

We believe that by strategically investing in our green spaces, programs, and recreation, we can actively promote social cohesion and accessibility, bridging divides and creating shared community assets and resources that serve all residents equitably. Towards this end, the Park District is making targeted investments in the North Lawndale community to address existing disparities and help ensure that all residents, regardless of identity, ability, or income, have access to quality recreation, wellness opportunities, and sustainable green spaces in every neighborhood. The Park District will continue to work with advocates, Alderwoman Scott, Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Park District Board and the surrounding community to address these historical inequities and invest in Douglass Park.

 

What capital investments has the 快播视频 made in Douglass Park?
Since 2011, the 快播视频 has invested nearly $20 million in Douglass Park for capital projects. This value does not include general operating fund investments in programming, daily landscape, maintenance work orders, etc. While we are proud of the investments we have made in Douglass Park, we know more work must be done to address the conditions at Douglass Park and other parks across the city. That is why the Park District is continuing to leverage available dollars to invest even more in Douglass Park. Here is a summary of capital projects completed and underway in Douglass Park:

Investing in Douglass Park 鈥 Annual Community Recreation Program Investment

In 2025, the Park District budgeted $670,369 for the Douglass Park Field House/Cultural Center to fund staff salaries, materials, and supplies for the cultural center and park. The $670,369 is the annual cost to staff the park and provide park programming including Park Kids, Summer Day Camp and Senior programs, among more. It is important to note that this $670,369 does not include the other maintenance services and supplies Douglass Park receives out of the Park District鈥檚 funds budgeted districtwide, including district-wide programming like Night Out in the Parks, lawn and natural area care, waste removal, pool and other maintenance, etc.

 

What changes have Riot Fest organizers and the Park District made to address community concerns?
Riot Fest organizers and the 快播视频 have worked to address community concerns raised at various public forums, and the community meeting required for large events like Riot Fest. Here is a list summarizing some of the biggest changes that have been made to address community concerns:

 

What is participatory budgeting?
Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process that allows community members to directly decide how to spend public dollars. The Park District looks forward to collaborating with community residents to deliver new capital investment to Douglass Park and the North Lawndale community.

 

How can I get involved in the Douglass Park participatory budgeting process?
We would love to hear from you! Douglass Park stakeholders are invited to share their input on the allocation of the Riot Fest give back. Please check back with us on the Douglass Park page for more information on how to get involved in the participatory budgeting process.