Overview
- Organizers announced the cancellation on Friday after consulting with the City of New York and the Parks Department and began dismantling stage infrastructure on the Great Lawn.
- Ticket buyers and people who donated for tickets will receive automatic refunds, and food prepared for the festival is being donated to local organizations.
- The decision affects tens of thousands of expected attendees and a star-studded lineup that included Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz and John Legend.
- The nor'easter forecast called for heavy rain, gusty winds and coastal flooding that city and event officials said risked the safety of artists, crew, vendors and equipment.
- The cancellation, the first in 14 years for the festival, follows heavy damage to the Great Lawn during Tropical Storm Ophelia in 2023 and has renewed debate over staging large events in Central Park.