Usher and many other performers and attendees were left “disappointed” by the Lovers and Friends Festival being canceled less than 24 hours before it was set to take place.
The “Confessions” singer was among the star-studded lineup of performers set to hit the stage at Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Saturday, May 4, before it was canceled due to the threat of high winds, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The third annual hip-hop and R&B festival was sold out with headliners including Usher, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Lil Wayne, the Backstreet Boys, and many more.
However, one day before the event on Friday, festival reps took to social media to announce its cancellation due to an unforeseen weather advisory.
“Lovers &Friends Festival organizers have been monitoring the weather for several days and proactively preparing for a windy Saturday,” the statement read. “However, the National Weather Service has now issued a High Wind Warning, including dangerous 30-35 mph sustained winds with gusts potentially more than 60 mph. Following advice from the National Weather Service and in consultation with local public officials, we must make the safest decision for our fans, artists, and staff, and cancel tomorrow’s Lovers &Friends Festival.”
The statement continued. “This was an incredibly heartbreaking decision to make as we are aware that fans have traveled from
all over the world to enjoy this incredible lineup of superstars and have been looking forward to this event for several months. We’ve worked hard to create an amazing event for you, and we are just as disappointed as you are.”Artists were just as blindsided as fans as videos showed performers like Mary J. Blige still making her way to Las Vegas to perform. Others hit up nearby clubs to perform impromptu sets for the many fans who flocked to Vegas to attend the show.
Usher, one of the founders and organizers of the event named after his 2004 hit song with Ludacris and Lil Jon, sent a message to his fans, letting them know how “disappointed” he was that the show couldn’t go on.
“Mannn… I’m just as disappointed as you are. We were getting ready to turn up and celebrate today,” Usher wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I have to follow the orders of city officials and the National Weather Service for everyone’s protection and stand strong in my belief that everything happens for a reason.”
He added, “I’m sorry we won’t get to see each other today, but know that I am always working on something to express my heartfelt gratitude for each and every one of you who continue to support me. I’ll see you soon.”
TikTok food critic Keith Lee, who was also set to attend the festival, organized a last-minute pop-up event featuring a few of the food vendors booked to sell food to festival attendees.
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