Several high-profile musical acts have canceled their upcoming appearances at a summer festival on the National Mall celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, citing concerns over the event’s political connections.
The wave of withdrawals began shortly after Freedom 250, an organization affiliated with President Donald Trump, announced its first roster for “The Great American State Fair.” Scheduled to run from June 25 through July 10, the 16-day event was hit by complaints from performers who stated they were left uninformed or misled about ties to the administration.
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Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, and Young MC have all backed out.
Young MC posted online that performers were kept in the dark about any partisan affiliation, while McBride said she was initially assured the event would be strictly neutral. Michaels added that the celebration had turned into something divisive.
Other announced performers, including Vanilla Ice and Flo Rida, are still slated to perform.
Freedom 250, which features a commission of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, maintains the festival is entirely nonpartisan. Group CEO Keith Krach stated the exposition aims to gather individuals from every U.S. state and territory to celebrate the nation.
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