UPDATE: Gordy’s HWY 30 Music Fest Cancels 2025 Event in Idaho
In a regrettable turn of events, Gordy’s HWY 30 Music Fest in Filer, Idaho has decided to cancel their much-anticipated event scheduled for June 18-21, 2025. A recent email communication to the booking agents of the performers confirmed this cancellation, urging them to withhold any public announcements until later in the day. The festival’s headliners Ole 60, Aaron Lewis, Luke Grimes, and Morgan Wade, along with over 30 bands slated to perform, have been left in a difficult position with their summer tour plans upended. Performers were also constrained by a stringent radius clause, preventing them from scheduling any other appearances in Idaho and surrounding areas around the festival dates. The cancellation news, as communicated through an email obtained by Saving Country Music, cited economic hardships and Gordy’s declining health as the primary reasons behind this tough decision.
Despite Gordy’s apparent challenges, the abrupt cancelation of the HWY 30 Music Festival has stirred frustration and disappointment among the affected performers and their agents. One booking agent expressed discontent, citing the festival’s manipulative tactics and the adverse impact on artists who had committed to contractual obligations. n light of this unforeseen development, Sunday Head, one of the scheduled musicians, took to social media to express his urgent need for an Idaho performance on June 19, emphasized how his entire June schedule revolved around the HWY 30 festival date, and lamented the festival’s inability to honor their commitments, creating a predicament for artists and their families.
The roots of Gordy’s HWY 30 Music Fest’s troubles can be traced back to its ill-fated expansion into Texas, highlighted by the cancellation of the 2024 festival in Fort Worth, following substantial financial losses incurred during the inaugural Texas event in 2023. The festival faced backlash from major booking agencies, resulting in a struggle to secure notable talent for subsequent events. Despite warnings issued by Saving Country Music and other industry sources, several artists and agencies proceeded to book slots for the 2025 Idaho festival, unaware of the impending risks surrounding Gordy’s HWY 30 operations. These decisions were made in disregard of the festival’s tainted reputation and the cautionary tales emanating from the previous failed ventures.
The festival’s organizers, including Gordy Schroeder, have expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of their loyal fan base and reaffirmed their dedication to delivering a remarkable live music experience. While facing logistical challenges behind the scenes, the festival team had been diligently working towards curating an impressive lineup, with most acts already confirmed for the event. This unwavering commitment to providing a memorable musical celebration underscores the festival’s enduring legacy and significance within the independent country and Southern rock genre.
Despite Gordy’s claims of health issues affecting both himself and his spouse, the festival’s cancellation decision reverberates as a stark reminder of the uncertainties inherent in the live entertainment industry. As efforts ensue in Texas to address the grievances of ticketholders and investors seeking restitution for their losses, the fallout from Gordy’s HWY 30 Music Fest’s latest setback continues to resonate within the music community, raising concerns about the festival’s future prospects and the fate of its stakeholders.