The annual Global Citizen Festival in Central Park was cancelled Friday after being threatened by a powerful nor’easter expected to slam parts of New York City over the weekend, organizers said.
The star-studded fundraising concert, which was scheduled to be held on the park’s Great Lawn on Saturday, was canned after being on a collision course with the strong storm touching down Friday night, Global Citizen reps said.
Organizers said the “difficult” decision to not hold the concert — the first time it’s been canceled in 14 years — was made after discussions with city government and the Parks Department.
Worries about the safety of concert attendees, festival staff and artists informed the decision to cancel, according to festival organizers.
Follow live updates on the powerful nor’easter set to bring dangerous winds, flooding to the East Coast
“Safety has to come first. This is the first time in 14 years we’ve had to cancel. We have spent this week working through countless contingencies, which were ultimately not possible, and cancelling is a decision we have not taken lightly,” Global Citizen said in a statement.
