Music Midtown Festival canceled in Atlanta reportedly due to Georgia state gun laws
A Georgia state law passed in 2014 allowed residents to legally carry firearms on public land
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 2022 Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta was reportedly canceled at the 11th hour following changes to Georgia state firearm laws that prevent the ban of weapons on public property.
Headliners for this year’s event, which was set to take place on Sept. 17-18 at Piedmont Park, included My Chemical Romance, Future, Jack White and Fall Out Boy.
"Hey Midtown fans — due to circumstances beyond our control, Music Midtown will no longer be taking place this year," a statement read on the festival’s website.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We were looking forward to reuniting in September and hope we can all get back to enjoying the festival together again soon."
The Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta following changes to a Georgia state firearm law which prevents banning weapons on public properties. A festival attendee was spotted in the crowd in 2021. (Scott Legato)
Fox News Digital contacted festival organizers for comment regarding the cancellation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The long-running event was first established in 1996, and has seen the likes of Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, John Mayer, Def Leppard, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Florence & The Machine, Phoenix, Billie Eilish, Travis Scott and Post Malone.
The 2022 festival had plans to include more than 30 artists across four stages in the downtown park, with food trucks and interactive experiences including a Ferris Wheel.
Miley Cyrus performs onstage during the 2021 Music Midtown festival at Piedmont Park on September 19, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Paras Griffin)
But a Georgia state law passed in 2014 allowed residents to legally carry firearms on public land, including Piedmont Park, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, along with a number of media outlets, reported the cancellation was out of fear of a potential lawsuit due to the event banning weapons. However, an ally of Gov. Brian Kemp pointed to suggestions the Music Midtown festival was canceled due to low ticket sales.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In 2014, former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed the Safe Carry Protection Act, which opponents nicknamed the "guns everywhere bill," allowing property owners, primarily churches, schools and bars, to decide whether they wanted weapons in their establishments.
The Georgia Supreme Court set new rules in 2019 on what kinds of businesses could ban guns on publicly owned land after a gun rights group sued the Atlanta Botanical Garden when one of its members was not allowed into the public space due to openly carrying a firearm.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Machine Gun Kelly performs on day 1 of 2021 Music Midtown at Piedmont Park on September 18, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Scott Legato)
An appeals court confirmed the Botanical Garden was on public land, but had a long-term lease and therefore could make decisions as a private entity.
Music Midtown has banned weapons "of any kind" from being brought into the festival, and some artist riders stipulate specific language including non-performance clauses if local laws allow attendees to bring firearms into the venue.
It’s unclear when or if LiveNation plans to move the event to a privately owned venue.
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