Riot Fest was unexpectedly dropped on Bridgeview's doorstep just days after the Red Stars played to a record-setting crowd at Wrigley. The 3-day music festival The was set to clash with the nationally televised Red Stars vs Wave FC match already on the calendar for September 21st.
On Wednesday afternoon, Riot Fest reversed course and announced their return to Douglass Park in North Lawndale. “Driven by the overwhelming support of the City of Chicago and our fans, we’re excited to announce that we are coming back home to Chicago and Douglass Park. If there was no Chicago, there’d be no Riot Fest,” the Festival said in a statement.
Riot Fest previously played in Humboldt Park before moving to Douglass Park. Difficulties with the Chicago Park district initially forced the move to Bridgeview according to a statement by festival founder Michael “Riot Mike” Petryshyn in June.
It would be easy to let the circumstances of the initial venue swap in Bridgeview invite tension between Riot Fest and the Chicago Red Stars. Instead, the two entities announced their partnership in the spirit of cooperation and community. “The partnership between the Red Stars and Riot Fest allows the two organizations to work together to foster strong community ties and celebrate the achievements of women in sports, while creating unforgettable experiences for both supporters” said the Red Stars in a press release.
"Riot Fest has always been about more than just music—it’s about culture. Partnering with the Chicago Red Stars was a natural fit because the same level of passion and dedication we pour into Riot Fest, we see in the Red Stars," said Petryshyn in the Red Stars press release.
The Red Stars will have a booth at Riot Fest, where festival goers can learn about the club, and the Red Stars will host a Riot Fest-themed game on November 3rd.
Lending a neighborly hand
When Riot Fest was originally announced in June, the Red Stars’ match was in jeopardy. The club explored their options, but the professional stadiums in the city were already spoken for. It was unclear if they could find a place on short notice that was up to the safety standards required by the NWSL.
Enter the Kansas City Current organization. This past spring, they opened their own stadium to great fanfare and have been embraced by their community. One of the many benefits of owning a stadium is having control of the schedule. When the Current heard of Chicago’s stadium troubles, they reached out a neighborly hand, and offered to host the match.
"I would like to thank the entire Kansas City Current organization for reaching out to us after hearing about our issues and offering to host our match in a gesture of true support for women’s sports. I would also like to thank our partner, United Airlines, for their support and offer to fly our players, associates and even some of our fans to Kansas City to help us mitigate the cost of changing venues," said Leetzow in a statement to the media.
Fortunately, the Red Stars won’t have to play another home match away from home. “We are happy that we can have this match at SeatGeek in front of all of our fans. We know how important home field advantage is, and this is great news for our players and fans,” said a Red Stars spokesperson to Gal Pal Sports.
The Red Stars will return home for NWSL action on September 8th at 5PM CT when they host the Orlando Pride.