Bands pull out of Punk in the Park amid controversy with organizer
by: Maddie Rhodes Posted: Jul 18, 2025
DENVER (KDVR) — Several bands have pulled out of Punk in the Park shortly before it’s set to start on Friday, with one band dropping out after learning the owner of the festival allegedly donated to President Donald Trump’s campaign.
Punk in the Park is a three-day music festival in Denver. Over 40 bands were set to play from Friday through Sunday, however, a few of the listed bands won’t be at the National Western Stockyards this weekend.
One band, Destiny Bond, said on Thursday morning that they won’t be performing after they learned the festival’s organizer reportedly donated to Trump’s presidential campaign.
“After learning and reflecting on the fact that the owner of the festival donated to Donald Trump’s campaign for president, we’ve decided playing as planned doesn’t align with our values,” the band said in an Instagram post.
Another band, Time X Heist, also announced they were dropping out on Thursday night, saying that they couldn’t support the organizers, although they didn’t directly state why.
“We cannot in good conscience support organizers that put profit over people. We have decided to step away from this fest to stand in solidarity with our trans siblings, immigrants and others negatively affected by the current administration and policies of the day, the band said in a Facebook post.
This comes after a petition began in April asking people to help stop the festival. The petition said that festival organizer, Brew Ha Ha Productions, allegedly donated to the Trump’s campaign, and provided a what appears to be a screenshot of a donation.
“As a long-time lover of punk rock and many of the bands on this bill, it stings to see a festival that’s supposed to represent our anti-establishment ethos being tied to politically divisive figures such as Trump,” the petition said.
Punk in the Park hasn’t said anything about the bands dropping out publicly, but on Friday morning, the festival posted an “update” on Instagram, stating that two other bands have dropped out for different issues, and Codefendents are performing instead.
“Sending our support to the guys in Real McKenzies who had Visa issues and the Guttermouth camp who experienced a medical emergency,” said Punk in the Park on Instagram.
The Real McKenzies said on Instagram that they had to cancel the show because their work permits hadn’t been approved by U.S. immigration.
“This is beyond our control!! We’re incredibly bummed that we won’t be able to play the show, and even more so cause we won’t get to see all the wicked bands playing the fest. We’ll do what we can to make things up in 2026, let’s hope things US immigration get sorted out and processing times return to normal,” The Real Mackenzies said in a post.
FOX31 has reached out to Punk in the Park and Brew Ha Ha Productions for a statement and is awaiting a response.
How long does mom have to put up with this?
I wonder why,Brandon Alan Lewis,felt compelled to sabotage the event?
Dumb Denver is following in the footsteps of Dumb California. I long for the day that each and every little thing isn’t political.
Life is too short.
“had donated to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign”
This Democrat indoctrination resembles the way the Palestinians indoctrinate their children against the Jews. Pure hatred, telling them that Jews are evil. It goes deep and is programmed in during emotional development prior to a child developing logical critical thinking skills.
Well I for one will not lose any sleep over immature punks in a “band” who have chewed off their noses to spite their faces.
Donald Trump is probably the punkest president ever. What a bunch of dweebs.
Cancel Culture Lives!
Never heard of them.
You just knew the troublemaker, the turd in the punch bowl in the party of life, would be someone with a name like Brandon, or Karen, etc. He's a liar at heart. He didn't bring this up because anyone's "right to know" had been infringed or taken away or denied, as he would like people to assume. Anyone who waz interested and wanted to know could find out just as he did. It isn't a secret, after all. What Brandon really wants but doesn't admit, is that he wants to do as much damage to Brew Ha Ha / promoter of the event as he can out of pure spite, even if he ruins the event for others. If Brandon cannot enjoy it, because Brandon cannot mind his own business, Brandon doesn't want anyone else to enjoy it, either. Note that Brandon uses the Royal We... assuming, like a dictator, that Brandon is in power and can defined who and what "we" represent.
Jeez these idiots don’t realize that the party of AOC,Mandami, Newsxum, Biden, Harris, et al ARE the establishment and PDJT is as ant-establishment as you can get.
Hahahaha. They are the Establishment. They want the people who give them no choices in anything but sex and abortion to be in charge. That isn't freedom.
“I’m a rebel. Rage against the machine. Get your Civic booster!”
—bunch of losers
…how this revelation conflicts with punk’s fundamental ideals.…
Censoring free speech.
Something about an aversion to sunlight or something...
How will Denver ever recover? </sarc>
What passes for “punk” today supports the ruling deep-state oligarchy.
I used to drink at a local brewery here in OC with Cameron, when Brew Ha Ha was just a start up. Always liked him, knew he was a great dude, and this is awesome to know, about him ! His leanings, of course, not the protest.