GRiZ Festival Stirs Controversy, Relocates From Former Plantation Site

GRAMMY-nominated producer GRiZ has announced that his Seven Stars festival will seek a new location following the discovery that its recent venue, Oak Ridge Estate & Farm in Arrington, Virginia, was once a plantation. The second edition of Seven Stars took place earlier this month, October 9-11, and featured artists such as CloZee, LSDream, Daily Bread, and multiple performances by GRiZ himself.

In a statement posted to social media on Thursday, October 29, GRiZ, born Grant Kwiecinski, addressed the controversy, accepting full accountability. He explained that members of his team were previously aware of the site's history and had consulted with educators at the University of Virginia on the matter, but this critical information was never brought to his attention. "I had naively assumed that if an issue of this weight arose, it would be brought to my attention," GRiZ stated, adding, "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."

GRiZ extended a deep apology to everyone affected, including dedicated fans, artists, and workshop leaders, for putting them in a position of processing this reality without warning. He specifically addressed the Black and brown community members who faced "vitriol, racism, and hateful attacks" in the online discourse that followed. "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," he affirmed.

Reiterating his commitment to fundamental values, GRiZ emphasized that his mission is defined by concrete action, citing examples like aiding families targeted by ICE, supporting LGBTQIA+ and women's shelters, and raising funds for music education. He declared GRiZ shows as safe spaces that value diversity, equality, and basic human respect for all, regardless of race, color, class, creed, gender, or orientation. He explicitly stated: "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."

Consequently, Seven Stars will not return to Oakridge Farm. GRiZ and his team are taking an "intentional hiatus to search for a new home," stressing that the festival is "defined by the kindness, the diversity, the empathy, and the spirit of the people who bring it to life," rather than by a specific piece of land. He concluded by thanking his community for holding him accountable and for pushing him to be better, promising to find a new home together.