Why was NYC's Global Citizen Festival 2026 canceled? Saturday's nor'easter weather forecast

The Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park has been cancelled because of a powerful nor’easter expected to hit the city over the weekend.

Updated on: Sep 25, 2026, 23:43:11 IST

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The annual Global Citizen Festival, held every year in Central Park, has been cancelled after a powerful nor'easter was expected to hit parts of New York City over the weekend.

The star-studded fundraising concert was set to take place on the Great Lawn in Central Park on Saturday. However, it was called off after coming on what was described as a collision course with the strong storm, which was expected to touch down on Friday night.

Why was the decision taken?

Organizers said the decision to cancel the concert was a difficult one, and it was made after talks with city government and the Parks Department, as per the report. This is the first time in 14 years that the festival has been cancelled.

Worries about the safety of concert attendees, festival staff, and artists led to the decision to cancel the event, according to festival organizers.

Global Citizen said in a statement, “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.”

Powerful nor’easter brings rain, strong winds and flooding

Millions of Americans, including people in New York, are preparing for a rare, multiday nor’easter that began hitting the Northeast with rain, strong winds and flooding on Friday.

Coastal flood alerts are in place for 33 million people along the East Coast, covering areas from Virginia to Rhode Island.

The storm had already brought strong winds and early flooding across the Eastern Seaboard on Thursday, with rough waves hitting coastal areas.

Winds of up to 65 mph are expected, with the strongest winds forecast through Saturday night on Long Island in New York and across New England.

Heavy rain of 4 to 6 inches is expected on Saturday and into Sunday. Strong winds are also expected to push water toward the shore, causing 1 to 4 feet of flooding. The Jersey Shore, Long Island and coastal New England are expected to receive the most rain, as per NBC News.

The storm is expected to come onshore around New Jersey. On Saturday, rain is expected from the Jersey Shore to eastern Massachusetts and could continue throughout the day.

A full moon on Saturday night is also expected to raise tides by 5 to 6 inches.

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