Riot Fest Lied About Its 'Stolen' Camaro

By Rachel Cromidas in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 10, 2015 8:20PM

Facebook.com/RiotFest1

After working hard to earn the public's trust after getting kicked out of Humboldt Park by the neighborhood's disgruntled alderman earlier this year, the organizers of Riot Fest are here to make us doubt their judgement again.

The organizers of the popular, annual three-day punk rock music fest, now located in Douglas Park on the West Side, announced Thursday that the iconic red Chevy camaro they claimed to be stolen earlier this week was not in fact stolen—it just made a really good story to promote their holiday toy drive.

Riot Fest published a so-called "ransom note" online Thursday saying the car would be returned if the fest raised $2,500 to donate to "underserved children" near Douglas Park.

We're not sure what's worse: Riot Fest, lying to the public, or the news media, predictably being more interested in the news of a quirky, stolen car than a toy drive for local youth. Is this stunt clever or insulting? Either way, we took the bait.