GRiZ says he will find a new location for his Seven Stars festival after learning the event’s current site was once a plantation.
The second edition of Seven Stars happened earlier this month, Oc. 9-11, at Oak Ridge Estate & Farm in Arrington, Virginia. In a statement posted to social media on Thursday (Oct. 29), the producer noted that his team was previously made aware of the site’s history and consulted with educators at the University of Virginia on the issue, but that the issue was never brought to him.
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“I had naively assumed that if an issue of this weight arose, it would be brought to my attention,” says the artist born Grant Kwiecinski. “But true leadership does not allow for deflecting of accountability. This responsibility for what happens under my name sits squarely on my shoulders. This fell on my watch, and the failure is entirely mine.”
He continues that Seven Stars will not return to Oakridge Farm and that he and his team “are taking an intentional hiatus to search for a new home. Seven Stars was never defined by a specific piece of land. It is defined by the kindness, the diversity, the empathy, and the spirit of the people who bring it to life. Thank you for holding me accountable and pushing me to be better. We will find our new home together.” Read the full statement below.
The 2026 edition of Seven Stars was curated by GRiZ and featured artists including CloZee, LSDream, Daily Bread and multiple performances by GRiZ himself.
Full statement from GRiZ:
To officially respond — first and foremost, this is something I do not take lightly. It’s very serious, and I just needed to give myself a little bit of time to sort out how I was feeling about it. This decision impacts a lot of people. I also got food poisoning on Monday evening, and I was just down bad — cold sweats and fever into Tuesday, not able to eat — so I wanted to feel back to full strength before addressing this. I wanted to make sure I wrote everything down so I could speak clearly.
Last Sunday, I learned the history of the land where Seven Stars was held: that Oakridge Farm was once a plantation. Prior to year one, members of my team were made aware of this history. They took steps to consult with scholars and educators at UVA, but they did not bring that knowledge to me. I had naively assumed that if an issue of this weight arose, it would be brought to my attention. But true leadership does not allow for deflecting of accountability. This responsibility for what happens under my name sits squarely on my shoulders. This fell on my watch, and the failure is entirely mine.
To everyone I put in the position of processing this heavy reality without warning — from our dedicated fans to our artists and workshop leaders — I am deeply sorry. You should expect a lot from me and hold me to a high standard. In this instance, I failed to meet it.
I also want to address the online discourse that followed, and speak directly to our Black and brown community members. You spoke your truth, and in return you were met with vitriol, racism, and hateful attacks. That response is utterly unacceptable. It stands in direct contradiction to every value this movement was built on. I see you. I hear you. I stand with you, and I am sorry that you were subjected to that ugliness.
My mission has always been defined by concrete action — from providing immediate aid to families targeted by ICE, to supporting Denver LGBTQIA+ and women’s shelters, to raising funds for music education in Detroit through Grizmas. These are not passive statements or empty rhetoric. They are the active, living commitments of this community.
GRiZ shows are a safe space for all colors of the rainbow. We value your race, your color, your class, your creed, your gender, and your orientation. If you do not share these fundamental values of dignity, equality, and basic human respect, let me be entirely clear: you are not a GRiZ fan, and this space is not for you.
It will always be f–k ICE, free Palestine, and Black Lives Matter. Show love, spread love — that is a come-one, come-all value set. Yes, until your values would aim to disrupt the safety, well-being, and expression of others.
Seven Stars will not return to Oakridge Farm. We are taking an intentional hiatus to search for a new home. Seven Stars was never defined by a specific piece of land. It is defined by the kindness, the diversity, the empathy, and the spirit of the people who bring it to life. Thank you for holding me accountable and pushing me to be better. We will find our new home together.
