Riot Fest 2026 kicks off Friday in Chicago: What you need to know

CHICAGO - Riot Fest 2026 kicks off today, bringing thousands of music fans together for three days of performances, carnival attractions and local food.

Riot Fest in Chicago

The music festival runs Friday through Sunday at Douglass Park and typically draws about 50,000 people per day.

This year’s lineup includes Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Pierce the Veil, Alanis Morissette, Rise Against, Social Distortion, Nas, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, Pixies, Patti Smith and Her Band, the Sex Pistols, Peaches, Gwar, The Hives, The Damned, Insane Clown Posse and many others.

More than 90 artists are scheduled to perform across multiple stages, including William Shatner and his metal band on Sunday.

Beyond the music, Riot Fest includes carnival rides, games, local food vendors, water stations and interactive activations.

The backstory:

Riot Fest has been a Chicago music tradition since launching in 2005. The festival is known for mixing punk, rock, hip-hop, reggae and metal with carnival-style attractions and offbeat humor.

The festival celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025 with performances from Green Day, Blink-182, Weezer and Jack White.

Organizers also brought actor John Stamos to the festival last year after teasing his possible appearance — and that of his fictional band — for years.

Riot Fest tickets

Ticket options range from general admission to backstage passes.

General admission includes entry for all three days, access to vendors, carnival rides, water stations and arcade games.

VIP tickets include expedited entry, unlimited re-entry, expanded VIP lounges, air-conditioned restrooms and exclusive vendors.

Deluxe and Deluxe+ passes include upgraded lounges, open bars, complimentary snacks and premium viewing areas.

The backstage pass includes access to artist lounges, golf cart transportation and side-stage viewing for select performances.

Riot Fest 2026 full lineup

• Tool
• Twenty One Pilots
• Pierce the Veil
• Alanis Morissette
• Rise Against
• Social Distortion
• Alkaline Trio
• Bad Religion
• Nas
• The Rejects
• The Format
• Taking Back Sunday
• Knocked Loose
• Pennywise
• Bright Eyes
• Mom Jeans
• Morrissey
• Iggy Pop
• Elvis Costello
• Pixies
• Patti Smith and Her Band
• Sugar
• Sex Pistols
• TV on the Radio
• Peaches
• PUP
• Antígona
• Gogol Bordello
• Public Image Ltd.
• Tricky
• Motion City Soundtrack
• Bette Smith
• Jeff Rosenstock
• Bayside
• Thrice
• 5OH3!
• Cartel
• Jack Kays
• Gwar
• The Suicide Machines
• Brian Fallon
• The Gaslight Anthem
• Scene Queen
• Harm’s Way
• Good Riddance
• Guttermouth
• Fleshwater
• The Chats
• Pretty Girls Make Graves
• Slick Rick
• Afroman
• Yard Act
• Destroy Boys
• Mariachi El Bronx
• The Paradox
• Arms Length
• Jeslon
• Chat Pile
• JMSN
• Snow Wife
• The Body
• Haylee Woodle
• Dead to Me
• Violet Grind
• Foxy Shazam
• Saturdays at Your Place
• The Flatliners
• Algernon Cadwallader
• Millencolin
• Teen Mortgage
• Daisy Grenade
• Winona Fighter
• Frank Turner
• The Wonder Years
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
• Fishbone
• Big Ass Truck
• Laura Jane Grace
• Save Ferris
• The Aquabats!
• The Bouncing Souls
• The Hives
• Helmet
• The Damned
• Smoking Popes
• Streetlight Manifesto
• The Spill Canvas
• Glassjaw
• Less Than Jake
• State Champs
• The Maine
• The Ataris
• Bowling for Soup
• The Casualties
• Rilo Kiley
• Senses Fail
• Hot Mulligan
• CKY
• The Academy Is
• The Movielife
• Cobra Skulls
• Knuckle Puck
• 7Seconds
• The Exploited
• The Queers
• The Adicts
• Koyo
• The Juliana Theory
• Home Front
• The Bled
• The Early November
• Citizen
• Drug Church
• The Get Up Kids
• Crosses
• The Black Maria
• We Came as Romans
• Armor for Sleep
• Saosin
• Can’t Swim
• Better Lovers
• Texas Is the Reason
• Loathe
• Four Year Strong
• H2O
• Kublai Khan TX
• From Autumn to Ashes
• Quicksand
• Strung Out
• Hawthorne Heights
• The Starting Line
• Thursday
• Fear
• Vision Video
• Samiam
• Catch 22
• Modern Life Is War
• Ignite
• Set Your Goals
• Escape from the Zoo
• The Dear Hunter
• Insane Clown Posse