'Under the banner of Concerned Citizens of Riot Fest in Douglass Park (CCRFDP), local residents have banded together to fight against the music festivals and preserve their public space.' | _KellyGarcia__
Douglas Park in North Lawndale in Chicago, Ill., Wednesday, June 29, 2022. Jonathan Aguilar / Chicago ReaderAs festival season rages on, so does the prolonged struggle to save Douglass Park from privatization. Since 2015, the 173-acre park located on Chicago’s west side has been the site of multiple mega summer music festivals: Riot Fest, Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash, and Heatwave.
“We’re not asking for a lot,” said Edith Tovar, an organizer with CCRFDP. “We want to have our park during the summer when the days are already limited.” But the music festivals have already taken a toll on the community. Some soccer leagues have been forced to relocate permanently, which subsequently affects local food vendors who rely on those community weekend events for income. And, after the festival season, the soccer fields are covered with dry patches that can cause serious injury to players.
In May, Alderperson Michael Scott Jr.— whose 24th Ward includes North Lawndale and the park—abruptly announced he was stepping down to accept a director-level position with neighboring Cinespace. Since 2017, Scott has accepted $12,500 in political donations from the companies that run the music festivals. Shortly after his resignation, Mayor Lightfoot appointed his sister to replace him.
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