The Faster Horses country music festival in 2016. Credit: Mike Ferdinande

After teasing a “bigger and better” event in 2026, Michigan’s Faster Horses festival is canceled again.

The massive three-day country music fest, which drew some 40,000 fans annually to the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, announced on social media that the show will not go on this summer.

“Faster Horses Music Festival will not return in 2026,” Faster Horses wrote in a social media post. “While the festival will not take place this year, we are proud of the memories created and the impact it has had on live music in Michigan. We remain grateful to the fans, artists, partners, and the Michigan International Speedway community who have supported Faster Horses over the years.”

First launched in 2013, the event has hosted some of country music’s biggest stars over the years, including Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, and Hardy in July 2024. It was produced by concert giant Live Nation. 

Last year, Faster Horses announced it would “pause” in 2025, with organizers promising that they were “taking the year to make plans for a bigger and better Faster Horses for our fans who deserve the absolute best.” But with yet another canceled festival, the future of the event seems uncertain.

The festival drew scrutiny in recent years following reports of deaths and sexual assaults, leading to investigations by MLive and Rolling Stone.

A number of music festivals have been canceled in recent years, squeezed by rising costs and waning consumer demand.

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Michigan country music festival Faster Horses will not return this summer, organizers say. “We have made the decision to pause Faster Horses Festival in 2025,” a message posted to social media reads.…

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Leyland “Lee” DeVito is the editor in chief of Detroit Metro Times since 2016. His writing has also been published in CREEM, VICE, In These Times, and New City.