{"id":357252,"date":"2026-09-26T01:20:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T01:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/357252\/"},"modified":"2026-09-26T01:20:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T01:20:35","slug":"nyc-global-citizen-festival-canceled-over-noreaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/357252\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Global Citizen Festival canceled over nor’easter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saturday\u2019s Global Citizen Festival<\/a> in Central Park has been canceled because of the wild nor\u2019easter hitting the city, the group said Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue 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\u2019s Global Citizen Festival<\/a>,\u201d organizers said on Instagram. \u201cForecasts 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSafety has to come first,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

This is the first time in 14 years organizers have canceled the festival, they said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have spent this week working through countless contingencies, which were ultimately not possible, and canceling is a decision we have not taken lightly,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n

The Central Park Conservancy, which operates the park, agreed calling off the concert was the right move.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Central Park Conservancy supports the decision made by our partners to cancel this year\u2019s Global Citizen Festival out of concern for the safety and well-being of attendees and the Park itself,\u201d a spokesperson said. \u201cWe will coordinate with NYC Parks and Global Citizen to reopen the Great Lawn as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an article on Wednesday, The Daily News raised concerns that the weekend\u2019s anticipated rainfall could lead to a repeat of 2023, when the Great Lawn had to be shut down two months early for repairs and resodding after tens of thousands of concertgoers stomped it into a muddy mess.<\/p>\n

The lawn\u2019s early closure that year, which usually is done over the winter, coincided with peak fall foliage-viewing season, putting a prime spot for autumn leaf lovers off limits.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going to happen this weekend?\u201d Councilmember Gale Brewer, whose Upper West Side district includes Central Park, told The News with concern earlier this week. \u201cI haven\u2019t heard of any rain dates \u2014 they don\u2019t do rain dates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Global Citizen, which has raised billions to fight poverty, typically sees 60,000 concertgoers pack the 12-acre lawn. The festival in 2023 paid for the lawn\u2019s repairs.<\/p>\n

Brewer has said the festival also brings in around $2 million for the city\u2019s general fund.<\/p>\n

Beginning at 2 p.m. Friday and extending through Sunday morning, the travel advisory City Hall released warns New Yorkers that the storm is expected to bring several inches of rain, coastal flooding, and wind gusts of up to 50 mph that could send tree limbs and power lines crashing down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe forecast path of this storm has moved closer to our city, and it is bringing more rain and stronger winds with it,\u201d Mayor Mamdani said. \u201cCity workers are clearing catch basins, preparing for downed trees and positioning emergency resources in areas that could see coastal flooding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Great Lawn in Central Park is pictured after the 2023 Global Citizen Festival. (Central Park Conservancy)<\/p>\n

Top musical acts, including Lauryn Hill, John Legend and Lenny Kravitz, were set to hit Central Park\u2019s Great Lawn on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Those who purchased tickets to the festival will be automatically refunded. Those who made donations to secure tickets can choose to be refunded as well, organizers said.<\/p>\n

Over the past six weeks, the festival raised $208.8 million, \u201cwhich will impact more than 9.5 million people,\u201d organizers said.<\/p>\n

Donations will go toward helping millions of children access education and support millions of smallholder farmers, women, youth and indigenous communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Festival is one day, but the actions you took and the impact you created will reach far beyond Central Park,\u201d their statement continued.<\/p>\n

While the festival is primarily focused on supporting communities living in extreme poverty on less than $3 a day worldwide, it annually injects roughly $33 million into New York City through spending by attendees and visiting tourists on hotels, transit, retail, food and beverages, a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

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