Harlem Festival of Culture Canceled Due to Excessive Heat in New York City

As extreme heat continues to bear down on New York City, Harlem Festival of Culture has canceled their event this weekend in the interest of public safety.

“On Thursday, July 27th, President Biden called on Americans to ‘listen to public officials and stay indoors’ due to the excessive heat advisory and poor air quality,” the festival’s official Instagram page shared in a statement posted on Friday (July 28). “After strong consideration to this severe weather impacting New York City, it is with a heavy heart that we have made the tough decision to cancel this weekend’s Harlem Festival of Culture with public safety in mind.”

The statement continued, “Our primary concern for the Festival was to put on an enjoyable and safe experience for all, and with the current forecast, it does not support a safe festival experience for attendees, workers or partners. While this untimely announcement changes our planned activities, this decision could potentially save lives.”

Those who bought tickets can receive a refund by visiting the festival’s website here. See the full statement here.

The lineup for Harlem Festival of Culture, which was scheduled for July 28 to 30, featured headliners Ferg, Teyana Taylor and Wyclef Jean with additional performances by Cam’ron, Doug E. Fresh, Muni Long, Major, Coco Jones, Adam Blackstone, Fat Joe, Remy Ma and more.