Eric Deters, organizer of the Patriots Day Freedom Fest, has canceled the conservative festival that had Kid Rock as its headliner. The event failed to attract enough paid support. The free festival’s funding plan relied on VIP ticket sales. However, only six of the $1,000 VIP tickets were purchased. Kid Rock has not issued any public comment on the cancellation.
Deters explained that the event’s financing was built around a small group of people he regularly does business and favors with. He detailed his frustration with their lack of support.
“When I put together Patriots Day Freedom Fest, I put it together with the game plan and the idea that I could pay for it with VIP sales of $1,000 from these 100 people that I interact with on a regular basis,” Deters said.
He went on to describe how many of those he reached out to failed to respond or offered excuses.
“I do countless favors for these people. These people — some of them — I got ignored!… Then there’s a group of people that made an excuse, like, ‘Oh, I was traveling.’ Like their phone doesn’t work while traveling. I even took the special test of giving some of them a hard time,” Deters said.
Deters, visibly frustrated by the experience, ended his statement with a pointed remark and a firm declaration about the future of the event.
“I want to tell you something, rich people, as a whole, suck. I am never ever, ever, ever, ever doing this event again. Ever,” Deters said.
Patriots Day Freedom Fest was set to take place Saturday, September 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Deters’ farm in Morning View, Kentucky. The entire budget hinged on selling 100 VIP packages at $1,000 apiece, a target meant to cover the costs of a free general-admission event. Only six packages sold.
The lineup also included Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman and Republican Rep. James Comer. It remains unclear whether Kid Rock or the other planned participants will address the cancellation.
