Riot Fest started in Chicago as an indoor concert series over the course of two November nights in 2005 at the Congress Theater. In 2012, marketed as Riot Fest & Carnival moved outside to Humboldt Park in Chicago. Since 2015, the most current incarnation of Riot Fest is now known as the annual 3-day outdoor music festival at Douglass Park in Chicago featuring the best of punk, rock, alternative, metal, and hip-hop.
Riot Fest 2026 vill have 90+ performances across 5 different stages, carnival rides, tons of food & drink options, a vast array of merchants, sideshow performers, and the 3rd annual RiotLand. NEW for 2026 vill be William Shatner and his metal band The *uckers on Sunday only. Exclusive VIP and Deluxe lounges along vith Deluxe viewing areas near the stages are available as upgrades.
Team Gregula is hex-cited that ve vere approved as official press for the third year in a row to cover this massive music fest fitting our style of macabre media. Riot Fest should be on your “Boo” bucket list as a must-see attraction for the entire fang-mily. Vonderful visuals and sinful sounds!
RIOT FEST 2026 LINEUP
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Twenty One Pilots, Iggy Pop, Rise Against, Pixies, Alkaline Trio, The All-American Rejects, Sex Pistols, Santigold, Motion City Soundtrack, Joey Valence & Brae, Bayside, Tricky, 3OH!3, GWAR, Slick Rick, Guttermouth, Fleshwater, The Paradox, Bratmobile, Mariachi El Bronx, Violet Grohl, Foxy Shazam, DeathbyRomy, División Minúscula, Radio Free Alice, Glixen, JMSN, The Callous Daoboys, Worry Club, Teen Mortgage, Slothrust, Soul Glo, Stephen Egerton, Cardinals, Greet Death, Panic Shack, Almost There But Not Really
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Tool, Morrissey, Social Distortion, NAS, Bad Religion, Sugar, Bright Eyes, Angine De Poitrine, Descendents, Gogol Bordello, Public Image LTD, PUP, Thrice, Less Than Jake, Brian Fallon & The Painkillers, The Suicide Machines, Afroman, Destroy Boys, The Chats, Yard Act, Chat Pile, VANA, Strike Anywhere, Show Me The Body, Hot Rod Circuit, Melt-Banana, Frankie & The Witch Fingers, Burning Airlines, Gurriers, Kiwi Jr., Nobro, Whispers, ASAVA, Aim High, The Iron Roses
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Pierce The Veil, Alanis Morissette, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, The Format, Patti Smith and Her Band, Twin Peaks, Taking Back Sunday, Insane Clown Posse, Pennywise, The Beths, Mom Jeans, Cartel, Bowling For Soup, This Is Lorelei, Sincere Engineer, Jejune, Arm’s Length, Saturdays At Your Place, Good Riddance, Haywire, Dead To Me, The Flatliners, Murphy’s Law, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Daisy Grenade, Holding Absence, Algernon Cadwallader, Ben Quad, Remember Sports, Macseal, Stomach Book, Largemouth, Rose of Demise, and featuring William Shatner and his metal band The *uckers
Riot Fest 2026
Location:
Douglass Park
1401 S. Sacramento Drive
Chicago, IL 60623
Dates:
September 18-20, 2026
Festival Hours:
Friday – 11:00AM to 10:00PM
Saturday – 11:00AM to 10:00PM
Sunday – 11:00AM to 10:00PM
For ticket information and sales, go HERE.
