Singers Martina McBride and Bret Michaels, leader of the band Poison, have pulled out of the Great American State Fair, a celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary organized by Freedom 250, a group founded by President Trump.
Ms. McBride stated in a social media post that she had been assured the fair being held on the National Mall was nonpartisan and saw it as a larger version of the state fairs she had long performed at, but said she pulled out after learning that what she was told “is, in fact, not what is happening.”
Mr. Michaels became the fifth artist to exit, saying in a social media post that the event had been misrepresented to his team and had evolved into something “much more divisive” than what he agreed to.
Mr. Michaels also cited safety concerns with the fair’s concert series, noting threats directed at his fans, band, crew and family, but he promised to return to Washington to perform “under circumstances where the focus can remain on what it should be — the music and the fans.”
Performers began dropping out less than two days after the first wave of nine musical acts was announced. Rapper Young MC and R&B group Morris Day and The Time were the first to cancel, followed by the Commodores and Milli Vanilli.
The remaining acts still expected to appear include Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice. The Great American State Fair is scheduled for June 25-July 10, with musical acts slated to perform Thursday-Saturday nights.
Controversy surrounding Freedom 250 grew after the group staged an all-day religious rally on the Mall featuring Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
Backed by the White House, Freedom 250 is a nonpartisan public-private partnership formed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
