A MAGA festival in Kentucky headlined by Kid Rock, Republican Rep. James Comer, and Dog the Bounty Hunter was abruptly canceled on Monday, with the organizer blaming “rich people” for dismal sales.
Eric Deters, a former attorney and GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2023, announced in a Facebook video that Freedom Fest would not take place, after having been scheduled for Saturday at his Morning View farm, about 25 miles south of Cincinnati. In past years, the political event drew thousands.
“If you haven’t been to this event before, I can assure you it will be the best political event you will ever, ever attend,” Deters said in a video on social media before canceling it. “This is the best MAGA event, no question.”
In his Monday video, Deters said his plan was for wealthy contacts to buy $1,000 VIP tickets so that regular admission tickets and parking could be free. However, not nearly enough did.
“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,” he said. Only six VIP tickets sold.
“Rank-and-file Americans are the backbone of this country—both political parties,” he said. “I want to tell you something: Rich people, as a whole, suck.”
“Now I’m a rich person. I live in one hell of a house. I don’t suck, because I know that money isn’t what freakin’ matters the most. It’s the fight, it’s the cause, it’s helping people,” Deters went on. “That ain’t the way rich people think. Rich people only want to make more money.”
Headliners for the event included Kid Rock—whose real name is Robert Ritchie—in a speaking role, and reality television star Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman. Comer, GOP congressional candidate Ed Gallrein, who beat Trump foe Thomas Massie in a primary earlier this year, and Fox News contributor Joe Concha were also billed.
Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Candace Owens have spoken at the event in years past. The first festival took place in 2022.
Deters, 63, said the lack of VIP ticket sales “really p---ed me off.”
“I do countless favors for these people,” he said. “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.”
“None of these people will ever, ever, ever get a favor from me again. Ever,” he concluded.
Deters made it clear that he has no interest in reviving the festival at any point.
“I am never ever, ever, ever, ever doing this event again. Ever,” he said.
A Kid Rock rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a second video later on Monday, Deters addressed some of the media coverage of the canceled festival.
“There’s even national media picking up this story as if it was a failed event for lack of support. No,” he said. “The MAGA supporters always support this event, always turn out... The issue was simply paying for the damn event because I make it free.”
