Stop Punk in the Park? Petition Points to Fest Producer's Trump Support as Reason to Boycott

This weekend's Punk in the Park festival in Denver may not be the smooth walk in the park that organizers expected after information linked to the promoter sparked an online petition calling for a boycott of the event.

According to FEC records summarized by OpenSecrets, Brew Ha Ha Productions owner Cameron Collins donated $250 to Donald Trump’s campaign on May 30, 2024. An additional $104.10 was earmarked for the Trump National Committee JFC, Inc. on August 2, 2024, while $524.29 more went to other right-wing causes — WinRed and Never Surrender, Inc. — during the year, according to public individual contributions listed for Collins and Brew Ha Ha Productions on the FEC website.

Brandon Alan Lewis, the owner of Ohio-based independent label Punkerton Records, uncovered the connection over three months ago while casually searching punk-affiliated professionals and the causes they support on OpenSecrets.

“I was heated because I was like, ‘Who knows about this?’ I looked it up and nobody knew about that,” he says, adding that he initially posted about it on April 3 via Threads. “Honestly, I was real worried. Punk in the Park is huge, and we’re a fairly small label.

“I was just like, ‘Screw it, it’s the right thing,’” Lewis continues. “I found the whole thing to be hypocritical. It was insane. It was literally the antithesis of everything we've literally ever done in punk rock and learned through punk rock.”

Punkerton’s Rock Against Trump Vol. 1 compilation dropped in January, and the label’s online profile experienced a bump as a result. Lewis believes that it helped in spreading the word about Punk in the Park’s parent company.

A petition, Stop Punk in the Park Fest in Denver, was created on April 4. As of July 14, it had garnered 578 signatures.

“We must send a strong message that we will not support festivals and organizations that do not align with the values and beliefs of our community. Let's stand together to halt Punk in the Park from coming to Denver,” the anonymous petitioners state. “It's time to show that we, the punk rock community, are not just a demographic to be monetized, but a collective force that stands for socio-economic justice. Nazi punks, F%$# OFF!”

The petition also urges Denver venues to book bands on the Punk in the Park bill — the headliners this year are Bad Religion, Dropkick Murphys, Descendents, Pennywise, Streetlight Manifesto and the Aquabats — in an underground effort to move the music from the National Western Stockyards to independent locales Friday, July 18, through Sunday, June 20.

The Shambles Tavern, a RiNo pub, responded with an open call to any musicians who are looking for an alternative spot to perform.

“Based on this information that we have discovered, we will not be contributing to Punk in the Park or Unhinged Festivals in Denver, or any other locations,” the Shambles post reads. “If bands would like to play at our bar/venue you are welcome. Come plug-in and play.”

California-based Brew Ha Ha is also behind the inaugural Unhinged metal fest, which was originally set for the National Stockyards on Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, before the outdoor format was cancelled last week. Instead, There will be shows at the Ogden Theatre and Mission Ballroom that weekend.

At this point, no bands have spurned Punk in the Park publicly or hopped off the lineup. A related Instagram account created under the pseudonym “Jack Mehoff” has been pushing the petition to its 221 followers (Mehoff did not return a request for comment), but a Reddit thread started three months ago seems to be the most active platform for those expressing disgust and dissent over the Trump contributions, with over 230 comments and 430 upvotes.

“Up until recently, it feels like nobody gives a shit about it,” Lewis says, adding that he felt he had to do what he considered right.

“How punk is it to keep quiet about it?” he asks. “That’s not the punk rock scene I want to be in. It doesn’t matter whether he donated one dollar, $1,000 or $10,000, to me. … You get enough $225 donations, well, they’re bankrolling hate.

“I’d be fine with never selling another record through my label if it meant that I did what I felt like was the right thing to do,” Lewis continues. "I’m not comfortable with supporting something like that.”

The national Punk in the Park event travels from coast to coast. During the Portland stop on June 28, Indigenous band 1876 spoke out against the fest, pointing to the organizer’s Republican support, and promoted its previously planned DIY offering, Victory Day Fest.

Brew Ha Ha's Collins notes that bands are always free to express political or personal opinions during his shows.

"My focus has always been on bringing people together — not dividing them," Collins says. "Brew Ha Ha Productions exists to create inclusive, fun and safe spaces where people from all walks of life — regardless of race, sexuality, beliefs or political views — can come together to celebrate music and community.

"The punk rock scene I fell in love with and have been a part of since I was fourteen years old has always been rooted in individuality, questioning authority and standing up for free expression," he continues. "That ethos continues to guide everything we do."

Brew Ha Ha is well-known in the alternative music scene; the company teamed up with NOFX for the Punk In Drublic presents NOFX Final Tour in 2023-24. Collins points to all the other beer and music events Brew Ha Ha has organized over the years as evidence of his commitment to the aforementioned ethos.

"At the end of the day, our events are not about politics — they’re about music, connection, and good times. That’s where my heart is, and that’s where it’s going to stay," Collins adds. "Over the years, I’ve proudly provided a platform for artists to reach hundreds of thousands of fans. We’ve paid millions of dollars in artist guarantees, and not once have I ever censored or restricted a band’s message or voice. Our track record speaks for itself.

"To suggest otherwise is not only false — it fundamentally misrepresents who I am, what I stand for, and what Brew Ha Ha Productions embodies."

This story has been updated to include the comments from Cameron Collins.