"The Number One Attraction anywhere in the World."

Great American State Fair Shifts from Concerts to Rally After Mass Artist Withdrawals

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The "Great American State Fair," a 16-day exposition on the National Mall scheduled from June 25 to July 10, 2025, is facing a major pivot after a wave of musical acts withdrew from its concert series, citing political concerns. The event, organized by the public-private partnership Freedom 250, is part of the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations.

Originally set to feature state pavilions, a Ferris wheel, rodeos, and a concert series, the fair's musical programming has been replaced by a political rally after most announced performers backed out. President Donald Trump subsequently announced he would replace the concerts with a "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY" and a major speech on June 24.

Event Organization and Goals

The 250th anniversary is being commemorated by two main groups:

• America250: A congressionally-chartered, bipartisan commission established in 2016 to plan nonpartisan celebrations.
• Freedom 250: A separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit created by a 2025 executive order from President Trump and chaired by him. It operates as a subsidiary of the National Park Foundation and is organized by Keith Krach, a Trump appointee. According to a spokesperson, Freedom 250 is nonpartisan and dedicated to uniting Americans around the anniversary. The White House has stated the group is "run out of the White House."

Artist Withdrawals

An initial lineup of nine musical acts was announced for the concert series, scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays of the state fair. Within days, at least five to seven of these acts publicly stated they would not perform.

Artists who withdrew include:

• Bret Michaels: Stated the event had become "much more divisive" than what he agreed to participate in and cited safety concerns due to threats.
• Martina McBride: Stated the event was "presented as a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading."
• The Commodores: Released a statement saying they "choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party."
• Young MC: Stated he was not informed of any political involvement and described the event as "Trump-backed."
• Morris Day and The Time: Denied participation, calling the booking a "rumor."
• Milli Vanilli: Jodie Rocco, one of the singers behind the group, stated she and her sister were not asked to perform.

Artists Confirmed or Non-Committal

• Vanilla Ice (Robert Van Winkle): Confirmed he would perform, stating he views the event as a celebration of America's birthday and not political. He said he does not care about politics and would perform for any leader. His manager confirmed he was contracted.
• Flo Rida: Did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
• C+C Music Factory (Freedom Williams): Initially stated he planned to back out after learning of the Trump administration's involvement but later indicated he might perform. Co-founder Robert Clivillés disavowed Williams' decision, stating the group does not affiliate with any political party.
• Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli: Confirmed he would perform.

Presidential Response

President Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, criticizing the withdrawing artists as "overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear." He stated he was considering replacing the concerts with a "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY," calling himself "the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World."

He later confirmed the concert series would be replaced with a rally on Wednesday, June 24, 2025, featuring a major speech by him. The rally will also include musical performances by Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio, the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," the Armed Forces Choir, the United States Marine Band "The President's Own," and the Joint Armed Forces Chorus.

One scheduled performance of the song "Hallelujah" was not authorized by the Leonard Cohen estate, which stated it does not support the usage.

State Participation

All U.S. states and territories were invited to participate in the Great American State Fair. According to organizers, a majority are participating. However, at least nine states confirmed they did not send official government delegations:

Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.

Most cited financial costs. Some were represented by local businesses or organizations without state funds. Some state officials raised concerns about the event's partisan nature.

Other Planned Events and Funding

Freedom 250 is also involved in organizing other events, including:

• The "Patriot Games" youth athletic contest
• Mobile museum trucks featuring content from Hillsdale College and PragerU

A separate UFC event is being constructed on the White House South Lawn. A White House official stated it was planned before the Iran conflict and is intended as a nonpartisan celebration.

Funding: Freedom 250 is funded through a mix of private donations and federal grants. Congress allocated $150 million for the 250th celebrations; $65 million of that was sent to the National Park Foundation, which can distribute funds to Freedom 250. The organization lists over 60 sponsors and partners but does not disclose the amounts of private donations. According to the New York Times, donors who contributed $1 million were offered access to the president.