Overview
- The Werchter Boutique festival ended early on Saturday, June 27, closing after Pitbull’s 9pm set and cancelling Katy Perry’s scheduled 10pm, 90-minute headline for an expected crowd of about 55,000.
- Organisers said the Rock Werchter Safety Committee and provincial authorities made the decision after weather forecasts predicted severe thunderstorms from midnight and the governor of Flemish Brabant issued a BE-Alert.
- Perry, who said she was backstage in hair and makeup when told she had 'no choice,' posted on Instagram that she was disappointed but that attendee safety comes first.
- Festival organisers explained the early finish aimed to ensure visitors could leave in a safe, orderly way before the storms arrived, citing crowd‑management and public‑safety concerns.
- The cancellation follows Perry’s June 25 single and video release 'Watch It Burn' and does not change her immediate European schedule, which includes shows at Cardiff Castle on June 30 and Blenheim Festival on July 4.