GREENFIELD — The lineup of the 2026 Green River Festival is evolving in the wake of international travel restrictions implemented by the Trump administration.

DSP Shows recently announced that Nigerien band Etran de L’Aïr and Colombian group Frente Cumbiero will not perform as scheduled, due to travel restrictions that have prevented them from securing the needed access to travel to the United States.

The Green River Festival is celebrating its 40th year and will be held June 19 to 21 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. With more than 50 acts performing on three stages, it is one of the biggest and most anticipated summer music festivals in New England.

International artists have always been, and continue to be, a key part of the festival’s lineup. Frente Cumbiero is a cumbia band known for its danceable music, while Etran de L’Aïr began as a wedding band, playing high-energy, guitar-driven “Tuareg desert blues” that blends traditional Saharan melodies with a pan-African style.

“These cancellations are heartbreaking for our festival community and devastating for the artists who rely on touring as a vital part of their livelihoods,”  DSP Shows said in a statement announcing the cancellations. “We believe that the free exchange of culture and ideas across borders strengthen our community.”

John Sanders, the talent buyer and director of the Green River Festival, said he received news of these cancellations a few weeks ago.

“We first heard that Frente wasn’t going to be on the bill, and then Etran wasn’t able to play, so it was like we needed to get the word out there,” Sanders said.

Immigration policies from the federal government have changed the visa system by tightening enforcement, raising costs, slowing approvals and increasing political scrutiny.

“It’s just getting harder to get a visa and it takes longer,” Sanders continued. “What used to take three months now takes seven months or even 10 months.”

In April 2024, the U.S. government substantially increased visa fees for touring artists, raising the cost from around $460 to more than $1,000 per petition. Expediting the process adds even more to the fees.

Sanders ran into a visa problem again when he was trying to book a replacement for the bands that had to drop out.

“I tried to book this band that was Canadian, and they couldn’t get their visas in time without paying a $7,500 expedite fee, which they couldn’t afford,” Sanders explained. “And I couldn’t afford to pay that for them.”

It was a different situation for Etran de L’Aïr. The government announced travel restrictions for 19 countries this past December, including Niger, where the band is from. This travel ban, effective Jan. 1, 2026, was driven by security risks.  

“Etran was one of the first acts I booked for the festival back in July,” Sanders said. “There wasn’t a travel ban then.”

Despite these challenges, the Green River Festival remains committed to presenting a diverse global lineup and standing with artists whose ability to share their work is impacted by the new restrictions.

When it came time to book replacements for the two cancellations, Sanders worked closely with the musicians’ teams to ensure they could get here and also looked to find global musicians who were located within the U.S. 

Such was the case with Tunisian-born, New York-based desert blues musician Nour Harkati, who will perform on Sunday, June 21. His music blends North African traditions with contemporary sounds. 

Los Mirlos, a cumbia band that originated in Moyobamba, Peru, will fill in for Frente Cumbiero. The band, which will perform at the festival on Saturday, June 20, blends traditional Latin cumbia with 1960s psychedelic rock.

Tickets for the Green River Festival are available at greenriverfestival.com.