Festivalgoers evacuate amid tornado warning at Harley-Davidson Homecoming
Festivalgoers evacuate as tornado warning hits the Harley-Davidson Homecoming at Veteran Park in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 11, 2025.
All the rowdy friends of Hank Williams Jr. are bound to be disappointed his performance at the Harley-Davidson Homecoming was canceled July 11 due to thunderstorms and a tornado watch, but organizers quickly announced a refund.
At around 7 p.m., Harley-Davidson posted on its social media channels that all July 11 passes purchased through the event’s primary ticket seller, Front Gate Tickets, would be refunded, and all two-day ticket holders who purchased passes through Front Gate would receive a 50% refund. Refunds will be processed directly within 30 days, according to the post.
“Unfortunately, due to severe weather in the area, we had to end the show earlier than we hoped,” read the company’s statement on social media. “Safety is our top concern, and this was the best course of action for our fans, artists and crew.”
The cancellation happened about three hours after festivities in the park had started, but before the day’s biggest acts — including headliner Hank Williams Jr., who had 10 No. 1 hits, including “All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down),” as well as Charles Wesley Godwin and Treaty Oak Revival — were able to perform. Four of the day’s nine acts, including country rock band Ole 60, managed to play before the park was shut down.
It was the first of two consecutive days of concerts at the downtown Milwaukee park, the festival’s main event.
Two-day passes and July 12 passes for the Veterans Park concerts this year were sold out before noon July 11, according to a media release.
The Veterans Park concerts July 12 are scheduled to feature nine acts, including headliner Chris Stapleton; buzzy undercard artists Sierra Ferrell and Turnpike Troubadours; and movie star and Harley fan Jason Momoa’s rock band Oof Tatata.
Those second day Veterans Park shows were still on as of 7:43 p.m. July 11. At that time, the forecast for July 12 called for a high of 84 degrees, with chances of a stray shower or thunderstorm.
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)