The 2023 Made In America festival in Philadelphia has been officially canceled, according to a statement released online Tuesday.
The two-day festival was set to kick off September 2nd on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and included headliners Lizzo & SZA.
Miguel, Tems, Metro Boomin, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Latto, Lil Yachty, Doechii, Lola, and many more were also scheduled to perform.
The cancellation has been attributed to “severe circumstances out of production control”, however specific circumstances were not revealed.
“Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made In America festival will no longer be taking place. This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation,” the statement said.
“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 statement continued.
Why Was It Canceled?
Many theories are swirling around what exactly the “severe circumstances” are that cause the cancellation.
Many are speculating that headliner Lizzo’s recent legal troubles are the reason to blame.
Secondly, others are speculating low-ticket sales are the culprit.
Lastly, according to Action News, a major vendor has suggested financial troubles are the cause.
What Does Philly Think?We asked the people’s court of Philly aka our Instagram followers for theories on the cancelation. Responses have included everything from high ticket prices, lackluster line-up, to a cumbersome pre-sale roll-out. Moreover, some people sited the Philly’s gun violence as a potential cause. Others were just happy the concert was canceled and carried on with their Philadelphia day.
Then, there are those who feel the summer has been inundated already with too many expensive concerts.
Indeed, this summer in Philly has been a summer of major music concerts including
Taylor Swift, [trackLink link_url="https://secretphiladelphia.co/renaissance-world-tour-philadelphia/"]Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Drake, and The Roots Picnic.
Check out the Instagram post below to join the discussion:
Overall, the real reason for the cancellation may be one forever shrouded in elusivity.
Will Made In America Return?
With the exception of 2020, the year of the pandemic, Made In America has always taken place in Philly.
Since its inception in 2012, the Jay-Z founded festival has pumped more than $180 million into the Philadelphia economy.
“A cancellation like this will have a big impact on our industry,” said Ed Grose, the head of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.
Mayor Jim Kenney has expressed his dissapointment over the canceled concert but insists it will return next year.
Organizers of the festival have stated, “We look forward to returning to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the great city of Philadelphia in 2024.”