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PoliticsActive today · day 2

Eric Deters scraps MAGA Freedom Fest after only 6 VIP tickets sell

Kentucky organizer cancels Kid Rock-headlined event days before its date, blaming wealthy contacts who wouldn't buy $1,000 VIP tickets meant to fund it.

newest coverage 12h agosummary written 1d ago208 pieces5.7k likes & upvotes369 comments MastodonNewswiresRedditBlueskyGoogle News

What to know

  • Freedom Fest, a MAGA gathering featuring Kid Rock and Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman, was canceled days before its September 26 date in Morning View, Kentucky.
  • Organizer Eric Deters said only six of about 100 wealthy contacts he counted on bought $1,000 VIP tickets meant to fund the otherwise free event.
  • Deters publicly criticized his rich acquaintances, calling them ungrateful and vowing to stop doing them favors, while insisting rank-and-file MAGA supporters were not to blame.
  • The event had previously drawn national Republican figures including Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Candace Owens.

“I am never ever, ever, ever, ever doing this event again. Ever.”

Eric Deters, Freedom Fest organizer · Newsweek ↗ · Sep 20

Eric Deters Founder/organizer of Freedom FestKid RockKid Rock Scheduled headline performerDuane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman Scheduled speakerJames ComerJames Comer U.S. Representative, scheduled attendeeCandace OwensCandace Owens Past festival speaker

Eric Deters scraps MAGA Freedom Fest after only 6 VIP tickets sell
independent.co.uk

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments

Peak 53 pieces in one hour at Sep 22, 6 PM; 208 pieces over 2 days (38 articles · 22 posts · 148 comments) Sep 21, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Sep 22, 3 AM — 13 pieces · 12 articles · 1 post — Google News 10, Mastodon 2, Newswires 1Sep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts — Mastodon 2, Newswires 1Sep 22, 8 AM — 4 pieces · 2 posts · 2 comments — Reddit 3, Bluesky 1Sep 22, 9 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 1, Reddit 1Sep 22, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 22, 11 AM — 14 pieces · 11 articles · 2 posts · 1 comment — Newswires 11, Bluesky 1, Mastodon 1, +1 moreSep 22, 12 PM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, Mastodon 1Sep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — 5 pieces · 1 article · 1 post · 3 comments — Reddit 3, Bluesky 1, Newswires 1Sep 22, 3 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Sep 22, 4 PM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, Mastodon 1Sep 22, 5 PM — 15 pieces · 2 posts · 13 comments — Bluesky 15Sep 22, 6 PM — 53 pieces · 1 article · 1 post · 51 comments — Bluesky 51, Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 22, 7 PM — 23 pieces · 23 comments — Bluesky 23Sep 22, 8 PM — 13 pieces · 13 comments — Bluesky 13Sep 22, 9 PM — 12 pieces · 1 post · 11 comments — Bluesky 11, Mastodon 1Sep 22, 10 PM — 8 pieces · 8 comments — Bluesky 8Sep 22, 11 PM — 3 pieces · 3 comments — Bluesky 3Yesterday, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Bluesky 1Yesterday, 1 AM — 4 pieces · 4 comments — Bluesky 4Yesterday, 2 AM — 4 pieces · 1 post · 3 comments — Bluesky 3, Mastodon 1Yesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — 4 pieces · 4 comments — Bluesky 4Yesterday, 6 AM — 3 pieces · 3 comments — Bluesky 3Yesterday, 7 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Yesterday, 8 AM — 4 pieces · 1 article · 3 comments — Bluesky 3, Newswires 1Yesterday, 9 AM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Bluesky 1Yesterday, 10 AM — 7 pieces · 7 articles — Newswires 7Yesterday, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Bluesky 1Yesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quiet 123
Sep 22yesterdaynow · 12:58 AM ET
  1. 3

    Social media mocks the low VIP turnout

    Posts on Reddit and Mastodon circulated the story with mocking commentary about the festival being called off over weak ticket demand.

    “WHO'DA THUNK IT?? 😂…”
    — MaryAustinBooks
    • mrsbettybowers.bsky.social

      Kid Rock's toxic unpopularity has caused *two* music festivals to be cancelled in this year alone: Patriots Day Freedom Fest in September 2026 Rock the Country South Carolina Stop in February 2026 It couldn't happen to a more obnoxious, washed-up no-talent.

      mrsbettybowers.bsky.socialBluesky1d ago4.1k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 152 posts in this stretch
    • KrissyKat@hoosier.social

      Kid Rock cancels a concert because rich MAGA people wouldn't pay for tickets. The organizer says rich people "suck." The organizer said: “'I want to tell you something: Rich people, as a whole, suck,' he said. 'Out of all these people that have money that I interact with, who I do favors for all day long. They ask me for something…. I never said…

      KrissyKat@hoosier.socialMastodon1d ago5▲view on Mastodon ↗

    • Out of curiosity I look up the lyrics to some of his songs. They’re nasty, nasty filth and I’m stunned that “good Christians” would even consider Kid Rock as someone who represents their values.

      izthatsor/Music1d agoview on r/Music ↗
    all of them →
  2. 2

    Independent covers the cancellation and event's MAGA pedigree

    The Independent reported the cancellation, noting the festival had previously drawn Trump's sons Eric and Donald Jr. and podcaster Candace Owens, underscoring its standing as a marquee MAGA gathering before its collapse.

    “rich people, as a whole, suck.”
    — Eric Deters, Freedom Fest organizer · source
    • kimberleyjohnson.bsky.social

      😂 hahaha "Deters said he expected around 100 affluent acquaintances and business contacts to help support the event by purchasing $1,000 VIP tickets, but learned on Monday that only six VIP tickets had been sold."

      kimberleyjohnson.bsky.socialBluesky1d ago966▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch

    • “I am never ever, ever, ever, ever doing this event again,” former Kentucky GOP gubernatorial candidate and event host Eric Deters , who throws the event on his farm, said on Facebook Monday. “When I put together Patriot State Freedom Fest, I put it together with the game plan and the idea that I could pay for it with the VIP sales of $1,000 from…

      Abe2sapienr/Music1d agoview on r/Music ↗

    • Sounds like he's going to need a backup plan, but detailing cars might not be the highlight of his career.

      Huge_Chocolate_6765r/Music1d agoview on r/Music ↗
    all of them →
  3. 1

    Newsweek details the canceled lineup and ticket shortfall

    Newsweek reported the full context: this year's scheduled lineup included Kid Rock, Rep. James Comer, Fox contributor Joe Concha and Republican Ed Gallrein, and detailed Deters' account of the VIP sales collapse.

    1. 12 outlets MAGA Freedom Fest with Kid Rock cancelled after poor VIP ticket sales

      first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also 98.1 KHAK, Yahoo, Loudwire, Complex, Consequence, USA Today +5

      14 more headlines
    • MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.social

      WHO'DA THUNK IT?? 😂 Kid Rock and Dog the Bounty Hunter wanted to hold a "Freedom Fest" MAGA concert on the 26th. It has been canceled because only six people wanted to pay to attend. https://www. reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/ 1wmwkun/freedom_fest_has_been_cancelled_after_only_6_vip/ # MAGA

      MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.socialMastodon2d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
  4. background

    Deters disputes media framing of the cancellation — In a second video posted hours later, Deters said MAGA supporters always turn out for the event and rejected coverage suggesting the cancellation reflected a lack of support, insisting the problem was only the VIP funding model.

  5. background

    Deters blasts wealthy contacts, vows to cut ties — In a Facebook video, Deters accused the affluent acquaintances he does 'countless favors for' of ignoring his requests and excusing themselves, declaring rich people as a whole 'suck' and that they will never get a favor from him again.

  6. background

    Deters cancels Freedom Fest after only six VIP tickets sell — Organizer Eric Deters learned that only six of the roughly 100 wealthy contacts he expected to buy $1,000 VIP tickets had done so, and canceled the September 26 event, which he had planned to make free for regular attendees.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 5 outlets MAGA Event Organizer Cancels Kid Rock, Dog the Bounty Hunter Freedom Fest Amid Dismal Ticket Sales

    first by The Wrap, 1d ago · also Washington Examiner, PennLive, MassLive, The Oregonian

    2 more headlines

and 5 smaller pieces

What people are saying 17 voices from 3 sites · best of 156 · verbatim