The Outlaw Music Festival has been forced to cancel its July 1st show in El Reno, Oklahoma, after severe weather caused significant damage to tour equipment during a previous stop in Missouri.
The tour’s June 29th performance at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, was abruptly cut short when heavy rains and high winds swept through the area, prompting an evacuation. Though no injuries were reported, the storm left a trail of destruction, damaging instruments and technical equipment critical to the festival’s production.
“With much of the Outlaw Music Festival’s equipment and artists’ instruments damaged and waterlogged, the tour cannot safely proceed with the July 1 show,” organizers explained in a statement, adding that refunds will be issued.
The festival, which features icons like Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, the Avett Brothers, and The Mavericks, is expected to resume on July 4th in Austin, Texas, for Nelson’s annual 4th of July Picnic.
The incident highlights how extreme weather is increasingly disrupting major live music events, as recent heat waves and storms have also impacted shows across the country this summer.
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