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Riot Fest Offering Ticket Refund After Move To Douglas Park

By Rachel Cromidas in News on May 22, 2015 6:35PM

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The 2014 crowd Riot Fest Chicago. Photo by Jessica Mlinaric.

The organizers of Riot Fest are offering early ticket buyers to this year's music festival a full refund now that the three-day fest is being moved south from its previous home in Humboldt Park to Douglas Park.

The festival will still honor tickets purchased before the move was announced, but ticket holders who no longer wish to keep their original purchase will be able to get a full refund through Monday by emailing customersupport@ticketfly.com with their name and confirmation number.

Obviously, Riot Fest organizers are hoping people will want to follow the festival south."While we are saddened to move the festival away from Humboldt Park, we are very excited about the new prospects that Douglas Park has to offer, including convenient transportation options and its scenic park layout," organizers said in a statement.

The alternative music festival was disallowed from returning to Humboldt Park this September after Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) complained the fest caused $150,000 in damages to the park, amongst other issues. Riot Fest organizers claim they have spent even more than that amount on repairs since last September, when heavy rainfall turned the park's lawn into mud.

Organizers announced that the fest would move to Douglas Park, three miles to Humboldt Park's south, Wednesday.

We think it's considerate of Riot Fest to publicize the refund option, but we're hoping attendees will look on the bright side of Riot Fest's move. Douglas Park is very accessible by public transportation, and much like Humboldt, has plenty of local businesses that could use some love from fest-goers. Crazy Bird Chicken, for example, is near the park and was on our list of "Best Fried Chicken Places." This is a chance to get out and see more of your city, not sit at home pouting while replaying a shitty recording of The Cure you shot on your phone last year.