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Why Canceling Michelada Fest Will Leave a ‘Gaping Hole’ in Chicago’s Summer Season: ‘Our Culture Is Being Targeted’
Michelada Fest is no longer taking place this summer in Chicago. The two-day event cancelled over artist visa "uncertainty."
Los Alegres del Barranco was supposed to perform at Chicago’s Michelada Fest this summer — but after the U.S. government cancelled the group’s visas when they displayed images of a cartel leader at a show in Guadalajara, Fernando Nieto and his team quickly pivoted to replace the Mexican band with Gabito Ballesteros. Nieto, co-founder of Michelada Fest (Big Indie produces the festival alongside Zamora Live and Viva tu Música), tells Billboard that the visa situation for regional Mexican artists happened “abruptly,” to the point that they had to cancel the entire event. Just last year, Miche Fest — which was launched by locals as a street festival — held its biggest edition to date, taking place for the first time in Chicago’s Oakwood Beach, with superstar headliners Kali Uchis, Junior H and Los Ángeles Azules.
Or read this on Billboard