What we know:
CHICAGO – The independently run festival announced its 2026 dates earlier this year, with the event scheduled for Sept. 18-20.
The festival typically draws around 50,000 attendees per day and features more than 90 artists across multiple stages, along with carnival rides, games, local food vendors and interactive activations.
Dig deeper:
Riot Fest has become one of Chicago’s signature music festivals since launching in 2005. The festival is known for blending punk, rock, hip-hop, reggae and metal acts with carnival-style attractions and offbeat humor.
The event celebrated its 20th anniversary last year with performances from Green Day, Blink-182, Weezer and Jack White.
The anniversary festival also leaned into one of Riot Fest’s longest running jokes involving John Stamos. Festival organizers spent years teasing a possible appearance by Stamos and his fictional band before finally bringing the actor to the event in 2025.
Riot Fest Tickets:
Fans can purchase several ticket tiers ranging from general admission to backstage passes.
General admission tickets include festival entry for all three days, access to vendors, carnival rides, water stations and arcade games.
VIP tickets add perks including expedited entry, unlimited festival re-entry, expanded VIP lounges, air-conditioned restrooms and access to exclusive vendors.
Deluxe and Deluxe+ passes include upgraded lounge areas, open bars, complimentary snacks and premium viewing areas.
The highest-level, backstage pass, includes access to artist lounge areas, golf cart transportation and side-stage viewing for select sets.
Riot Fest 2026 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
The Source: This article contains information from Riot Fest.
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