As festival season rages on, so does the prolonged struggle to save Douglass Park from privatization. Since 2015, the 173-acre park located on Chicago’s west side has been the site of multiple mega summer music festivals: Riot Fest, Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash, and Heatwave.
Under the banner of Concerned Citizens of Riot Fest in Douglass Park (CCRFDP), local residents have banded together to fight against the music festivals and preserve their public space. The group argues that the mega music festivals damage the soccer fields, interrupt quiet zones at the hospitals across the street, and don’t make any improvements to the neighborhood.
After getting booted from Humboldt Park by residents who shared similar concerns, Riot Fest accepted an invitation to move to Douglass Park in May of 2015 from the local alderpeople—who have accepted political donations from the private company that runs the festival. A few years later, Summer Smash joined, followed by Heatwave this year.
“We’re not asking for a lot,” said Edith Tovar, an organizer with CCRFDP. “We want to have our park during the summer when the days are already limited.”
In the past seven years, residents have complained at park district board meetings, hosted community gatherings, and collected petition signatures. In 2019, CCRFDP hosted the People’s Music Fest on the same day as Riot Fest as a form of protest against the festival and celebration of their community.
“We figured it’d be really cool to highlight what community-based programming looks like in comparison to Riot Fest,” Tovar recalled.
But the music festivals have already taken a toll on the community. Some soccer leagues have been forced to relocate permanently, which subsequently affects local food vendors who rely on those community weekend events for income. And, after the festival season, the soccer fields are covered with dry patches that can cause serious injury to players.
Sara Heymann, another organizer with CCRFDP, is worried about rising housing costs in the neighborhood because of Riot Fest that could displace longtime residents who can’t afford it.
“When developers and real estate agents come in and buy properties, they always cite Riot Fest,” Heymann said. “Housing prices around the park are like $600,000 now, when before Riot Fest, [they] used to be $100,000.”
In May, Alderperson Michael Scott Jr.— whose 24th Ward includes North Lawndale and the park—abruptly announced he was stepping down to accept a director-level position with neighboring Cinespace. Since 2017, Scott has accepted $12,500 in political donations from the companies that run the music festivals. Shortly after his resignation, Mayor Lightfoot appointed his sister to replace him.
Meanwhile, 12th Ward alderperson George Cardenas, from Little Village, is running for a seat on the Cook County Board of Review. In June, he won the Democratic primary, setting the groundwork for smooth sailing to the November elections. Since 2019, Cardenas has accepted $18,000 in political donations from music festival companies.
Riot Fest’s previous lawyer, Homero Tristan, chairs the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee, a political action committee that has donated $94,650 to Cardenas and $12,750 to Scott since September 2012.
What follows is a history of organizing against the music festivals in Douglass Park along with dollar amounts signaling donations to the various political committees associated with the local alderpeople.
2015
May
Riot Fest moves to Douglass Park after getting kicked out of Humboldt Park because of residents complaining about damage, limited use of the park for community members, and rapid gentrification.
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Douglass Park residents begin organizing against Riot Fest in their park. “I remember posting in a Facebook community group asking if anyone wanted to organize against this music festival coming to our park and a bunch of people responded,” said Sara Heymann, a member of Concerned Citizens of Riot Fest in Douglass Park (CCRFDP). “We just started organizing community meetings.”
June-July
Several community meetings take place including one at Saint Agatha Church where a poll was taken to measure concerns from residents about Riot Fest: 52 percent of attendees say they do not want Riot Fest in Douglass Park, 37 percent say they would allow the music festival with clear conditions in writing, and 11 percent say they do want it in the park.
In June, then-Alderperson Michael Scott Jr. (24th Ward) hosts a community meeting with city officials and Riot Fest representatives. According to organizers, Alderperson George Cardenas (12th Ward) says at the meeting that he welcomed Riot Fest because no one goes to the park “because it’s flooded and needs improvement.”
CCRFDP does a walk-through of the park on July 10 with a landscaper. They find that the sprinkler system is broken and that any new grass planted after Riot Fest would not be watered enough. They also learn that the field appears to be built on top of cement, making it hard for the water to drain and worsening soil compaction.
Residents continue pressing the local alderpeople for answers.
Saint Anthony Hospital unsuccessfully sues Riot Fest to block the festival from happening at the nearby park.
Riot Fest donates $1,000 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
August
Community members speak at a Chicago Park District board meeting and present 500 petition signatures from local residents against Riot Fest. Board members advise residents to go through the Douglass Park Advisory Council (DPAC).
“The advisory council was basically defunct,” Heymann said. “They weren’t meeting at all, until we asked them what they were doing about this. At that point we decided to restart the advisory council.”
Riot Fest donates $3,000 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
September
Riot Fest takes place for the first time in Douglass Park during heaving rain, causing severe damage to the fields. The soccer leagues are forced to relocate for the rest of the season.
2016
February-March
DPAC asks Riot Fest and the local alderpeople to commit to developing a community benefits agreement. The alderpeople refuse.
July
Residents note that parts of the field remain fenced off because of damage from Riot Fest ten months ago. The soccer leagues are told by the park district that permits will not be issued for the fall.
September
Riot Fest takes place in Douglass Park for a second time.
2017
March-April
Riot Fest donates $6,500 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
June
Residents organize the Douglass Park Time Observation Club to document the people, places, and things in the park that are quickly disappearing because of the festival’s effects on the park.
December
Riot Fest donates $1,500 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
2018
May
A youth soccer league is forced to relocate for the rest of the season because of damage to the park, despite two planned summer music festivals.
June
SPKRBX donates $2,500 to Alderperson Scott Jr., one day before Summer Smash starts.
September
Residents host The People’s Music Fest with local acts and vendors on Marshall Boulevard during Riot Fest.
SPKRBX, LLC donates $2,500 to Friends of George A. Cardenas.
December
SPKRBX donates $2,500 each to the 24th Ward Democratic Organization and the 12th Ward Democrats. Both political organizations are tied to local alderpeople.
2020
March
SPKRBX donates $2,500 to Friends of George A. Cardenas.
Riot Fest donates $1,500 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
Music festivals at Douglass Park are canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents urge Park District board members to permanently bar the music festivals.
August
SPKRBX donates $500 to 12th Ward Democrats.
November
SPKRBX donates $2,500 to Friends of George A. Cardenas.
December
SPKRBX donates $2,500 to the 24th Ward Democratic Organization.
Riot Fest donates $5,000 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
2021
July
SPKRBX donates $5,000 each to Friends of George A. Cardenas and Citizens for Alderman Michael Scott Jr., one month before Summer Smash. $$$
Riot Fest donates $5,000 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
August
Summer Smash expands to a three-day music festival. Residents complain that the decision did not include community input.
During the festival, residents say attendees smash car windows and block emergency vehicles from entering Saint Anthony Hospital’s lot. Block Club Chicago reports that bar staff at the festival were rushed by attendees. Cars were also seen parked on the park’s grass.
September
Riot Fest expands to a four-day festival, again without community input. Reports surface of a man who died after falling onto the Kedzie Pink Line tracks after Riot Fest.
December
SPKRBX donates $6,500 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
2022
January
Riot Fest donates $2,500 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
April
The Park District tells residents they can’t host events on Juneteenth and Father’s Day weekend because it conflicts with Summer Smash.
May
A youth soccer league is forced to relocate for the rest of the season because of the limited space.
July
A third music festival, Heatwave, moves to Douglass Park.
The production company Auris Presents LLC donates a total of $6,500 to Alderperson Cardenas and the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee.
August
Scott Fisher, the independent contractor hired by Riot Fest to plan its festival, hosts a community meeting at Douglass Park. Fisher repeatedly laughs at residents and dodges questions. A week later, Riot Fest releases a statement saying Fisher is stepping down from his role and that Fisher’s tone at the community meeting “is not reflective of its values.”
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