Photo Credit: Freedom Mobile Arch, where Boy George will play on September 7 / PNE Playland

Requests for ticket refunds at Vancouver’s summer fair have increased since Boy George, a slated performer since April, released his controversial pro-Israel song.

Boy George and his band Culture Club have been on the roster to perform at Vancouver’s PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) 2026 Summer Night Concerts series in September since this spring. But the ’80s hitmaker has become persona non grata since he released his AI-assisted, pro-Israel track, “We Will Dance Again,” just a few weeks ago.

Since then, the PNE has confirmed that they have received complaints about the upcoming concert, and a few customers have requested refunds. But a PNE spokesperson said they have no intention of cancelling the event.

“For 116 years, the PNE has been a place where music and culture have been celebrated and have flourished. As one of Canada’s leading locations for live music for more than a century, we have hosted literally thousands of artists—from Elvis to the Rolling Stones to the Stars of Drag to Marilyn Manson and now Boy George.”

Further, the spokesperson said event organizers take a “strong position of non-censorship, adhering to Canada’s protected freedom of expression and our own tradition of allowing the public to decide to purchase a ticket, or not, to the many shows and events held throughout Hastings Park and its many venues.”

Organizers will “work closely” with the Vancouver Police Department and its own security team to ensure that all guests of the fair and its concerts remain safe, the spokesperson concluded.

Boy George released his new single on July 26, which has faced significant backlash. He withdrew from his role as King Herod in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium at the advice of his manager. He also parted ways with his record label manager, who refused to release the song on his imprint. The “Karma Chameleon” singer even said he would fire any member of his band who refuses to play the song.

The track was initially uploaded to Bandcamp, but the platform has since removed it and seemingly purged Boy George’s account. The singer said this was the result of people complaining to Bandcamp for hosting the track, but Bandcamp maintains it’s entirely the result of the platform’s no-AI stance.

Boy George and Culture Club will play at the PNE Fair’s Freedom Mobile Arch in Vancouver’s Hastings Park on September 7.