President Donald Trump is headlining the Freedom 250 festival after most of the announced musical acts pulled out within days of the official lineup being announced.
Nine performers were planned for the festival, officially called the Great American State Fair, but, after Freedom 250 announced the lineup for the June 25 to July 10 event, more than half the acts dropped out. Most of the artists–Martina McBride, Young MC, C+C Music Factory, Bret Michaels, The Commodores, and Morris Day and The Time–said they were unaware the event was linked to the president.
After all this turmoil, Trump himself called for the Great American State Fair to be canceled entirely and suggested stepping in as the main headlining act. “I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips' having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World,” the president wrote in a May 30 Truth Social post, referring to himself.
On May 31, Danielle Alvarez, an adviser for Freedom 250, confirmed to The Washington Post that Trump will indeed now kick off the opening event for the festival.
In the United States, 2026 marks 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The semiquincentennial serves as a historic milestone in the country's history and will be celebrated with a year-long series of ceremonies, cultural programs, and national celebrations.
Tasked with organizing these events is America250, with the festivities leading up to and continuing beyond the declaration's anniversary on July 4, Independence Day. So, how is America planning to celebrate the anniversary, and what are the birthday must-sees?
Click on the following gallery and discover key dates and events.