Today (Aug. 8), it’s been announced that the 2023 Made In America Festival has been canceled “due to severe circumstances outside of production control.”
“This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation,” an official statement read. “Made In America has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concertgoers, and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience.” The announcement closed by saying that the team behind the event looks forward to returning in 2024. Ticket holders will be refunded from the point of purchase.
As previously reported by REVOLT, the celebration that JAY-Z built was set to take place Sept. 2-3 at Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Lizzo and SZA had been tapped as headliners with the likes of Miguel, Tems, Metro Boomin, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Latto, Lil Yachty, Doechii, and Lola Brooke set to provide additional support.
2023 marks the second time that Made In America was forced to be canceled since its inception in 2012. The previous time was in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down virtually all public gatherings across the globe.
Philly Mayor Jim Kenney reacted to the news on Twitter. “I’m disappointed to hear that the 2023 [Made In America Festival] will not be taking place. We’re grateful to the partners and festival goers who have contributed to this event’s incredible success over the years, and we look forward to bringing MIA back to the Parkway next year,” he said.
Notably, it was Kenney who drew JAY-Z‘s ire when he discussed the possibility of relocating Made In America back in 2018. In response, the billionaire mogul wrote an op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer that explained why the Parkway location was and is “integral to the pulse” of “one of the only minority-owned festivals” in the country.