Riot Fest 2026 offered a lineup full of big names like Patti Smith, Santigold and Alanis Morissette, as well as headliners including Pierce the Veil, Tool, and Twenty-One Pilots. Set after set was engrossing and intoxicating, but the people who truly make Riot Fest a special, one-of-a-kind experience are the fans.
Rainy weather converted the grounds at Douglass Park into a muddy mess that only got worse throughout the third and final day. These types of conditions are less than ideal, but festival-goers tied-up their boots, put on their ponchos, and came prepared to turn terrible weather into the best time ever.
Sincere Engineer is always a highlight of any festival where they appear and this year’s Riot Fest was no different. Along with delivering a fantastic performance, Deanna Belos, Adam Beck, Kyle Geib, and Nick Arvanitis had DoorDash hand deliver corn dogs to fans in the crowd to enjoy during their now-infamous Corn Dog Mosh Pit.
Gates were delayed on Sunday, but on Saturday the fest ended early to beat the inclement weather. Despite the shorter runtime, NoBro, Destroy Boys, The Iron Roses and more delighted with politically-charged, fantastically-feminist, punk-infused music.
Day One featured several highlights as well. Bratmobile, Violet Grohl, and Panic Shack were all early favorites. Over at the Radical Stage, DeathbyRomy, the L.A.-based artist who was a first-time Riot Fest performer, put on one of the most captivating shows of the entire weekend delighting with songs like “XXXHIBITIONIST” and “PRAY TO ME.”
Gurriers, Bad Religion, Pixies, The Suicide Machines, The Beths, Tricky, and the man, the myth, the Star Trek legend, William Shatner – who showcased a setlist full of heavy metal favorites – were further highlights of the event.
This wet and wild Riot Fest may be over, but there is more fun to come as next year’s dates have already been announced. Click here to pick-up tickets to the Chicago festival, taking place in Douglass Park Sept. 17-19, 2027, and check out photos from this year’s festivities below. More information can be found at RiotFest.org.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
