MGK Day Festival Ends in Rainy Downpour and Questions of Its Future

It was originally meant to be the final MGK Day on Saturday. But the plan has maybe changed, according to Machine Gun Kelly, aka Colson Baker — and you can thank Cleveland weather for that.

Just a few songs into his grand finale set, intimidating gray clouds loomed over the festival grounds at North Coast Yard, and soon broke into sheets of rain. Baker crammed in a hurried version of his song “Wild Boy” as a downpour pelted the Downtown Cleveland pop-up park with rain. Gusts of wind tugged protective tarps off of stage equipment and electronics. While many attendees rushed out of the venue, others danced in puddles and crowded closer to the stage, waiting for the artist to return, chanting: “MGK! MGK!”

Eventually, the rain stopped, and Baker came back to the stage. He sang just one more song at the tail end of the night — an acoustic version of his hit “Cliche,” from his latest album Lost Americana. Before the song’s performance, he gave repeated apologies for the weather’s effect on the festival.

“I’m so sorry. The rain came in and f***ed up all the equipment, all the guitars,” he said. “Victory and defeat are twin lovers. They both complement each other, and the losses really help us appreciate the wins. And we have many, many more years of wins ahead of us.”

To Baker, it was clear that the weather’s turn made the 2026 MGK Day a loss, not a win. That wasn’t in line with his original plans to wrap up the festival after its fourth year, which he announced from the damp stage.

“It’s so bittersweet. This might have been — might be — the last MGK Day that we do,” he said. “Maybe the silver lining is, there’s no f***ing way I’m going out like that, so we might have to run this back next year.”

Before the rain, there were already some issues at the festival. Attendees endured high temperatures and humidity, and there were no water refill stations at the event. As the day continued, bottled water became scarce to find, with many food trucks selling out of beverages by the early evening. Earlier in the day, and during Wiz Khalifa’s performance ahead of MGK, medics rushed to some attendees who had fainted in the heat.

Despite the lack of water and shade, the fest gave a taste of how Cleveland’s lakefront could be used for large-scale festivals or concerts. Adjacent to the football stadium (the same one where MGK ziplined onstage in an explosive 2022 concert) (also the same one expected to be demolished once the new Brook Park stadium debuts in 2029), North Coast Yard’s large footprint allowed for different zones accommodating stages, food trucks, skating, bars and other MGK Day classics.

Next time (well, if there is a next time), add a few water refill stations, a couple extra port-o-potties and some shady areas.

While Saturday’s fest was meant to be the centerpiece of the 2026 event, remember: “MGK Day” has always been a bit of a misnomer. Pre-shows, afterparties, emo night karaoke, motorcycle rides, skate trick contests and more compiled a Thursday-through-Sunday marathon of entertainment. Many of the side events (including a Saturday night afterparty featuring 50 Cent) took place at Shooters and 27 Club, two restaurants owned by Baker.

RELATED: How Chef Ryan Boone Transformed Shooters Into a Chef-Driven Restaurant

Coupled with the two restaurants, it’s clear that, even though he primarily lives in Los Angeles, Baker is intent on lifting up Cleveland. MGK Day primarily used local event crews, food vendors and businesses at its booths.

Baker has aimed for four years to host the ultimate party. “Imma do what I do best,” he said onstage, before the rain, “Throw a rager.”

Beyond that, he also wants to benefit local businesses and charities. Every year, the fest donates back-to-school supplies and foods for the Cleveland Food Bank; an event representative estimated that MGK Day has donated more than 80,000 meals and 20,000 school supplies each year since it began in 2023.

Maybe there will be another fest next year. Maybe not. But Baker’s impact will be felt for more than a day — or a weekend — in Cleveland.

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