Rock singer and Poison frontman Bret Michaels has pulled out of the Great American State Fair, becoming the fifth act to withdraw from the concert series tied to the Trump administration’s “Freedom 250” celebrations later this month.
Bret Michaels becomes the fifth act to pull out of Great American State Fair
Michaels announced his decision in a lengthy Instagram statement early on Friday, saying he had initially agreed to take part because the event was presented as a patriotic and unifying celebration. He said organisers had described it to him as a “celebration of our country through music” and an opportunity to honour “hardworking Americans from all walks of life.”
However, the singer said the event had since evolved into something “much more divisive”, prompting him to step away from the line-up.
Read his full statement here:
His withdrawal adds to a growing list of performers distancing themselves from the fair amid criticism surrounding its perceived political alignment with President Donald Trump and the administration’s broader “Freedom 250” campaign, which has been promoted as part of celebrations leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.
Country singer Martina McBride had previously announced her own exit from the event, saying in a social media statement that she had been invited to “perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading.”
Meanwhile, legendary funk and soul group The Commodores said they would not “publicly affiliate with any single political party,” confirming their withdrawal across social media platforms.
Artists Young MC and Morris Day alongside his band The Time have also dropped out of the concert series, significantly reducing the event’s entertainment roster.
The departures mean the Great American State Fair now has only six performers remaining from its original nine-act line-up, underscoring mounting unease among artists over appearing at events connected to partisan political messaging.
Organisers of the fair have not publicly detailed whether replacement acts will be added following the latest withdrawals. The event remains scheduled to proceed later this month as part of the administration’s wider Freedom 250 programme.
