The 2025 Global Citizen Festival was held Saturday in New York City’s Central Park, where tens of thousands of people packed the iconic Great Lawn for hours of live music.Â
This year, the annual music festival featured Shakira, Cardi B, Tyla and others. It was organized by Global Citizen, an organization that calls to end extreme poverty, defend the Earth from climate change and demand equal access to nutritious food.
People earn free tickets to the festival by taking actions supporting Global Citizen’s mission, according to the organizers. General admission tickets were also available for purchase.
Festival attendees earned tickets by taking action
The crowd was at times deafening, and the energy was electric. Talent from different genres and countries hit the stage in front of 60,000 people.
Fans came from all over for a good cause, and they had to be good citizens to get there — 40,000 New Yorkers registered to volunteer across the city, and even more people from across the world.
“A lot of people wonder, can I make a difference if I sign that petition? Does it really help if I vote, if I clean up that beach? Does it really? Yes, it makes a difference, and tonight is the proof of it,” said actor Hugh Jackman, who hosted the event for the 11th year in a row.
Hugh Jackman performs during the Global Citizen Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in New York.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
“Everybody here in the audience did something. They did something beyond themselves. They did something that should hopefully create a ripple effect,” said musician Adam Lambert, who was one of the event’s co-hosts.
“I think these types of things are what bring people together in real life, and we need to do more of that,” Harlem resident Gregory Turner said. Â
The Global Citizen Festival highlights the urgent need to end global poverty. This year’s campaign is focusing on access to energy for 1 million people across Africa, raising $200 million to help protect the Amazon rainforest, and quality education for 30,000 children around the world.
“I’m hoping, fingers crossed, tonight we raise the first $30 million as part of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund as we head towards the World Cup Final next year, where we’ve set ourselves this hugely ambitious goal to educate 100,000 children on the planet,” Global Citizen co-founder and CEO Hugh Evans said.
When was the 2025 Global Citizen Festival?
The 2025 festival was Saturday afternoon on the Great Lawn in Central Park. Gates opened at 2 p.m.
The concert started at 4 p.m. and ended around 10 p.m.
The 2024Â and 2023 shows both went on despite rainy weather. There was some controversy after the show two years ago, when it poured torrentially and the Great Lawn suffered extensive damage. It prompted calls for future festivals to be relocated.Â
Who performed at the 2025 Global Citizen Festival?
Shakira and Cardi B headlined the 2025 Global Citizen Festival. Other performers included Tyla, Ayra Starr, Mariah the Scientist, Camilo and Elyanna, plus a special appearance by ROSÉ.Â
The Weeknd was announced as a headliner in July, but later had to cancel his appearance. Cardi B was then added to the lineup.Â
Cardi B performs during the Global Citizen Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in New York.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
The event was co-hosted Bill Nye, Danai Gurira and Liza Koshy.Â
Other speakers included Kristen Bell, Tony Goldwyn, Laurie Hernandez, CBS News’ Vladimir Duthiers, Lydia Kekeli Amenyaglo, Fy Rajaonarivelo, Esther Kimani, Omowumi Ogunrotimi, Valeriia Rachynska and Taily Terena.
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