Here’s Who’s In and Who’s Out of the ‘Great American State Fair’ | National News

Several artists have dropped their performances for the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in Washington, D.C., this summer.

Freedom 250, a public-private partnership backed by President Donald Trump, is hosting the “Great American State Fair,” which is a 16-day exposition from June 25-July 10 on the National Mall.

“The Great American State Fair will bring together all 56 U.S. states and territories,” Freedom 250 said, “featuring live entertainment, immersive exhibits, patriotic tributes, innovation showcases, cultural programming and family-friendly attractions stretching from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument.”

But shortly after it announced participants, a handful of them said they would not be performing.

Here are some of the artists who said they will not participate and others who said they will:

Bret Michaels, the lead singer of the band Poison, was supposed to play on July 3. He’s known for songs including “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and “Nothin’ But a Good Time.” Michaels cited safety concerns and divisiveness for his decision to drop out from the show. “Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance.”

The funk and soul band behind “Brick House” pulled out from their June 27 performance, saying it will not “publicly affiliate with any single political party.”

The “Bust a Move” rapper said that the artists “were never told about any political involvement with the event” in a statement about his decision to drop out of his June 26 show. He said that he hopes to perform in Washington “in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.”

The country singer known for “Independence Day” and “A Broken Wing” also said she thought the event was going to be bipartisan before she withdrew from her June 25 performance. “It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs,” she said in a statement. “I assure you, that is not the case.”

The lead vocalist of the music group that produced “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” posted a video saying he didn’t know the event was put on by Trump, but added that he might perform on June 26 despite pushback.

The artist known for “Ice Ice Baby” said he was “honored” to perform at the concert.

The “Low” singer has not issued a statement on the event’s pushback, but he commented laughing emojis in a response to a question in an Instagram post about why he was set to perform on July 2.