Riot Fest Arrivals: Out-of-Towners Fill Chicago — Tips & Meetups
Chicago’s downtown is already looking like Riot Fest territory — grey-haired fans in band tees, suitcases, and a steady stream of out-of-towners arriving from California, Seattle, Toronto, Phoenix, Atlanta and Europe. A lively thread on r/riotfest has become a quick city guide and meetup board for folks touching down before the shows. Here’s the short, useful version for anyone new to the city.
“welcome to the city… it really isn’t the hellhole some orange people say. if you are downtown, take a stroll on the riverwalk, and if you have time take the architecture boat tour.”
- Riverwalk & Architecture — Easy, scenic, and a calm pre-show break. The architecture boat tour remains one of the best short Chicago experiences.
- Eat like a local — deep-dish is a festival rite; expect a cheese-forward, filling-heavy pizza experience.
- Museums — if you’ve got a spare afternoon, the city’s art and science museums are top-notch and close to downtown.
- Music nerd stop — check out the Post‑Punk & Industrial Museum for WaxTrax-era stuff and Chicago scene history: Post‑Punk & Industrial Museum.
- Festival promos & merch — word is some attendees are hunting the Green Day Slurpee cups at 7‑Eleven, so keep an eye out for promos if you’re chasing merch bits.
Travelers in the thread are calling out arrival days (lots of Thursday landings) and offering solo meetups — if you want to link up, swing by r/riotfest or drop a message in the Riot Fest channels. Safe travels, bring layers, and see you in the field.