The Rock the Country festival in Anderson, South Carolina, has officially been scrapped after majority of the artist fell off from the lineup.
Local officials in Anderson County confirmed that the two-day event, which was scheduled for July 25–26, 2026, is no longer moving forward at the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center. While the tour, backed by Kid Rock and Jason Aldean, was marketed as a massive patriotic celebration, the South Carolina date became the first major casualty of the tour.
County administrator Rusty Burns noted that while the county was blindsided by the last minute notification on February 5, they weren’t given a clear reason for the sudden pull-out. “We weren’t told a reason,” Burns said. “It happens in the business. We had a good, two-year run.”
The cancellation of the Anderson date follows a series of exits from some of the festival’s biggest names. On Friday, the rock band Shinedown became the latest to walk away, releasing a pointed statement on X about their refusal to participate in an event that they feel alienates certain fans.
“SHINEDOWN is everyone’s band,” the group wrote. “Our band’s purpose is to unite, not divide. We do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.”
This departure was a major blow, especially coming just after other heavy hitters like, Morgan Wade, and Carter Faith quietly removed themselves from the tour amid online backlash. Even Creed, who were heavily featured in early promotions for the South Carolina stop, vanished from the festival’s website just before the cancellation was made official.
The loss of the festival is a massive hit to the local economy, as the event was expected to bring in tens of thousands of tourists and millions in revenue. Last year’s iteration reportedly drew 25,000 people and pumped an estimated $17 million into the state.
Despite the disappointment, Anderson County officials are already looking to fill the gap in their summer schedule. “The last two events showed we can host large-scale shows successfully,” Burns noted, emphasizing that the venue is already scouting for new acts to take the stage later this year.
While other tour stops in Florida, South Dakota, and New York are still currently listed as active, the South Carolina cancellation has many wondering if the rest of Kid Rock’s summer series can survive the wave of artist dropouts.
