The upcoming nor’easter is wreaking havoc on concerts and other outdoor events in and around New York City, with city and state officials placing several counties under a state of emergency as a powerful storm bears down on the region.
By Friday afternoon, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City and Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill placed Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties under a state of emergency as well.
Several large music festivals were canceled, including The Global Citizen Festival. Organizers said the forecast for dangerous conditions expected to start Friday night led them to nix the Saturday event.
“Safety has to come first,” a statement on the website read. “This is the first time in 14 years we’ve had to cancel.”
The All Things Go NYC Music Festival was also called off. The three-day event was set to take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Forest Hills Stadium but was canceled just hours before doors were to open at 2 p.m.
“We don’t really know how to put into words how heartbroken we are,” organizers said in a statement.
In Greenpoint, shows scheduled at Under the K Bridge Park were also called off. Organizers said The Prodigy on Friday and the CBGB Festival on Saturday were not happening due to severe weather forecasts.
As the Friday night AC/DC show at MetLife Stadium was postponed to Oct. 2, fans already en route to the stadium were outraged on social media.
"RAIN OR SHINE was stated in every email all week long. The storm is TOMORROW MORNING," one fan wrote.
The Atlantic Antic, known as Brooklyn’s oldest and largest street festival that was scheduled for Sunday, was postponed to Oct. 10, according to the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation.
In Bay Ridge, the Third Avenue Festival was postponed to Oct. 4, while the Ragamuffin Parade, a beloved children’s costume parade that’s a precursor to Halloween, will now take place on Oct. 3.
The Yes Chef Food Festival, scheduled to take place in the parking lots at Citi Field for Saturday and Sunday, was postponed until Sept. 30. Tickets for both days will be honored on the new date, organizers said.
Streetwear and sneaker fans will have to wait for organizers to reschedule Sneaker Con, which was set for this weekend at Maimonides Park. Organizers, who cancelled the Coney Island event, said they will refund ticket holders within 48 - 72 hours.
Some organizers were relocating planned outdoor events. The Brooklyn Book Festival said programs planned for outdoor stages this weekend will now be moved indoors. Children’s Day and the Makers and Creators events were moved to the Brooklyn Heights Library, while the Young Reader’s Stage will now take place at Brooklyn Borough Hall, organizers said.
The New York Yankees moved Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles to Friday afternoon as a doubleheader, and the team said there will be no games played on Saturday. The team, which moved its CC Sabathia Number Retirement Ceremony to Friday afternoon from Saturday, has not made an announcement about Sunday's 3:20 p.m. game as of Friday evening. (The Mets are away playing the Washington Nationals this weekend).
Football fans will have to be glued to social media all weekend, as the Giants are scheduled to play the Tennessee Titans at home on Sunday at 1 p.m. Historically, football games are played through bad weather, but the team has yet to make an announcement as of Friday afternoon. (The Jets are away playing the Detroit Lions.)
This is a developing story and may be updated.
