Global Citizen Festival Canceled Over Extreme Weather Forecast

Organizers canceled this weekend's Global Citizen Festival on Central Park's Great Lawn on Friday, citing an "extreme weather forecast" for New York City and putting an end — for this year — to one of the city's highest-profile free music events.

The announcement came one day before the festival was to be staged. The decision followed consultation with the City of New York and NYC Parks.

"Due to the extreme weather forecast for New York City this weekend, we have made the difficult decision, in consultation with the City of New York and NYC Parks, to cancel this year's Global Citizen Festival," organizers said in their Friday statement. "Forecasts predict dangerous conditions and circumstances in which we cannot safely bring tens of thousands of Global Citizens, artists, crew, vendors, partners, and staff onto the Great Lawn, let alone all of the equipment required. Safety has to come first."

The same storm system — a brewing Nor'easter along the eastern coast of the United States — has forced two additional cancelations in the region. Ed Sheeran scrapped his Gillette Stadium shows in Massachusetts, and the All Things Go festival, set for this weekend in Forest Hills, Queens, was called off as well.

The 2024 lineup represented a broad cross-section of pop, rock, country and hip-hop. Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys and Friends, John Legend, Lainey Wilson, Shaboozey and Tomorrow X Together were all scheduled to perform. Hugh Jackman was set to host.

For Global Citizen, the cancelation marks an unwanted milestone. "This is the first time in 14 years we've had to cancel," organizers said. "We have spent this week working through countless contingencies, which were ultimately not possible, and cancelling is a decision we have not taken lightly."

The festival, held annually on the Great Lawn, functions as both a concert and a campaigning platform, drawing artists, world leaders and partners in support of the organization's anti-poverty and advocacy work.

One piece of the weekend will still reach New Yorkers. "Food that was due to be available at the Festival will be donated to local organizations serving the people of New York City," organizers confirmed Friday.

In their statement, they framed the year as a success despite the cancelation: "We are enormously proud of what we have achieved together this year – one of the most impactful years for our movement around the world – and we are deeply grateful to every artist, world leader, partner, crew member, vendor, global citizen, and our team."

The organization has already committed to a return. "We will be back in Central Park next year," the statement concluded. "We can't wait for you to be there with us."