As the Great American State Fair prepares to run from June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., multiple music acts have withdrawn from the Freedom 250-organized semiquincentennial celebration—citing concerns about political ties and being b
When Young MC posted that he would not be performing at the Freedom 250 event. the timing felt like more than a booking change. It landed as the Great American State Fair—an expected 16-day transformation of Washington. D.C.’s National Mall into a semiquincentennial spectacle—began shedding part of its star power.
The fair is expected to run June 25 through July 10 and will mark the United States’ 250th anniversary with attractions including a Ferris wheel and carousel. along with rodeo and livestock competitions. Organizers. through President Donald Trump’s nonprofit Freedom 250. have promoted it as “the biggest. boldest state fair in the country” on the official Freedom 250 website.
A lineup of major performers had already been publicized. including Martina McBride. Vanilla Ice. The Commodores. Flo Rida. and Bret Michaels. But on social media and in direct communications. several acts said they were stepping back—turning the fair’s celebration into a running dispute over whether the event is political.
Young MC. whose scheduled performance was June 26. posted on Facebook that he “informed” his agents he would not be taking the Freedom 250 stage. He wrote that the artists “were never told about any political involvement with the event. ” and added that even though organizers said it was non-partisan. Spin magazine describes it as “Trump-backed.”.
Young MC said he hoped to perform in D.C. “in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.” His comments framed the withdrawal as a response to how the booking was handled, not to the fair itself.
On June 26. C+C Music Factory frontman Freedom Williams also said he was not told about President Trump’s affiliation when he booked the event. In an Instagram video. Williams said. “[My agent] didn’t mention Trump.” He described getting texts about cancelations. including. “We’re going to cancel C+C Music Factory. This is going to be a terrible show.”.
Williams then told his agent, “Yeah, no, I ain’t good to do that. I don’t [support] Trump.” After that. he teased that he might still perform “to spite” those he said were trying to influence him. In an expletive-ridden tirade, he said, “The day I let you … tell me what to do is the day I die. … You can’t cancel me.”.
Morris Day and The Time withdrew from the fair as well. In a Facebook post that included a graphic stating, “Contrary to rumor, Morris Day [and] The Time will not be performing at the ‘Great American State Fair,’” the band captioned simply, “It’s a no for me.” Their scheduled date was June 27.
The pattern, as the cancellations built, was unmistakable: multiple acts said they had been booked without being made aware of political connections, even as the event is being marketed through a Trump-linked nonprofit.
A further shake-up followed from the R&B group Milli Vanilli. Singer Jodie Rocco told The Associated Press in an email that the group was not contacted to perform at the event. Rocco said, “My sister and I were shocked to see our name, ‘Milli Vanilli,’ as one of the performers.”
Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner addressed the dispute in a statement. She said the organization is “dedicated to uniting Americans around the nation’s 250th anniversary.” Reisner added that Freedom 250 is focused on “signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans. ” while “welcoming all who share our goal of commemorating this milestone in a way that uplifts and unites America.”.
The Great American State Fair is open to the public. Walkups are welcome, and attendees can register for free tickets on the Freedom 250 website.
The story was updated to add new information.
Great American State Fair Freedom 250 Donald Trump nonprofit semiquincentennial National Mall concert cancellations Young MC C+C Music Factory Morris Day and The Time Milli Vanilli Rachel Reisner