Riot Fest 2025: Celebrating Two Decades of Loud, Proud & Immersive

September 19-21, 2025 marks a big milestone — 20 years of Riot Fest in Chicago. Back in its gritty beginnings and now a full-blown cultural institution, Riot Fest has become one of the most cherished festivals for punk, rock, alternative, and more. The venue is Douglass Park, where the festival returns with one of its strongest lineups to date.

What to Expect

Lineup & Highlights

The three-day lineup is stacked. Riot Fest 2025 will feature:

• Headliners:
  Blink-182 (Friday), Weezer (Saturday), Green Day (Sunday).

• Other major acts: Jack White, Idles, Rilo Kiley, The Beach Boys, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Bad Religion, Dropkick Murphys, Citizen, Sparks, The Wonder Years, Jawbreaker, Alkaline Trio, and many more.

• Reunions and rare appearances: For example, Rilo Kiley returns after a long hiatus. Texas Is The Reason also makes a comeback.

There are over 90 bands across the three days

History & Significance

• Riot Fest began in 2005 in Chicago, founded by Mike Petryshyn & Sean McKeough. It started in smaller venues like Congress Theater.

• By 2012, Riot Fest expanded outdoors (Humboldt Park) and began including carnival rides, more food vendors, sideshows, etc.

• It’s grown to be one of the biggest independently-owned music festivals in the U.S.

Logistics & Tickets

• Dates: September 19-21, 2025

• Location: Douglass Park, Chicago.

• Ticket status: 3-day General Admission tickets are sold out. 1-day and 2-day tickets are still available.

• Full schedule is published, so attendees can plan which artists to see and avoid overlap.

Why It Matters Beyond Music

Riot Fest isn’t just about big names and loud guitars — it’s about community, culture, and identity:

• It’s helped give a platform to emerging bands while respecting the legacy of older acts.

• It supports local communities via the Riot Fest Foundation, which does grants, supports arts in schools, etc.

• It has become a gathering point for fans of diverse subgenres: punk, emo, hardcore, alt-rock, etc. Fans come not only for the headliners but for discoveries.

Pro Tips for Attendees

• Plan ahead with the daily schedule. With so many acts, there will be overlapping shows. Decide your must-sees.

• Arrive early if you want to catch popular emerging bands or get decent spots.

• Comfort & essentials: Water, good shoes, sun/rain protection. The weather in Chicago in September can vary.

• Tickets & upgrades: Since 3-day GA is sold out, if you want better amenities, as soon as possible get upgrades (VIP etc.).

• Explore beyond the main stages: Food vendors, merch stalls, carnival/cultural sideshows are part of the experience.

What's New or Unique in 2025

• It’s a 20-year anniversary, so there are a lot of nostalgic lineups and reunions.

• The mix is interesting: legends (Green Day, The Beach Boys, Jack White), comedic/novel acts (“Weird Al”), hardcore / punk bands, and newer/alternative artists.

• Given past editions, there might be special performances (full-album plays, reunions, surprise guests) — Riot Fest has done this before.