The Plain Record

Neutral daily news — clear headlines, complete facts.

National

Major East Coast Concerts and Festivals Canceled as Nor'easter Approaches

A powerful nor'easter with 60 mph wind gusts forced the cancellation of Ed Sheeran's tour dates and major festivals in New York and Massachusetts.

Published September 25, 2026 at 12:44 PM EDT

The short answer

A powerful nor'easter with 60 mph wind gusts forced the cancellation of Ed Sheeran's tour dates and major festivals in New York and Massachusetts. Several major music festivals and concerts along the U.S. East Coast were canceled on Friday, September 25, 2026, as a powerful nor'easter approached the region.

Major East Coast Concerts and Festivals Canceled as Nor'easter Approaches

The Facts

Who
Ed Sheeran, Global Citizen Festival, and All Things Go festival organizers.
What
Cancellation of multiple major music events due to a nor'easter.
When
Friday, September 25, 2026
Where
New York, New York; Foxborough, Massachusetts; and surrounding East Coast regions.
Why
A powerful nor'easter was forecast to bring heavy rain and wind gusts over 60 mph, making it unsafe to hold large outdoor gatherings.

Several major music festivals and concerts along the U.S. East Coast were canceled on Friday, September 25, 2026, as a powerful nor'easter approached the region. The cancellations include Ed Sheeran’s scheduled performances in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park, and the All Things Go music festival at Forest Hills Stadium. Weather forecasts for the weekend predicted heavy rain and wind gusts exceeding 60 mph across New England, New York, and Philadelphia.

The storm had already begun to impact the coast by Friday, causing flooding in New Jersey that reached some homes. Organizers for the affected events cited safety concerns for fans, artists, and crew members due to the projected severity of the weather conditions. Local officials were consulted before the decision was made to call off the outdoor gatherings in Foxborough.

Ed Sheeran’s "Loop Tour" canceled two shows at Gillette Stadium originally set for Friday and Saturday nights. Tour organizers stated the shows would not be rescheduled and directed fans to seek refunds at their point of purchase. In New York, the All Things Go festival canceled all three of its scheduled dates just hours before doors were set to open at 2 PM ET on Friday. The Global Citizen Festival also cited the inability to safely move equipment and tens of thousands of people onto the Great Lawn of Central Park.

The cancellations affect a combined audience expected to reach into the tens of thousands across multiple states. The Global Citizen Festival alone anticipated "tens of thousands" of attendees. For individual ticket holders, the immediate impact is the loss of scheduled entertainment and the requirement to navigate refund processes. For Ed Sheeran fans, the cancellation is final, as the tour confirmed these specific performances will not be rescheduled.

The scale of the disruption extends to hundreds of workers and dozens of musical acts. Performers who were scheduled to take the stage include Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, and John Legend at Global Citizen, as well as Zara Larsson, Lola Young, and Ethel Cain at All Things Go NYC. The economic impact includes the loss of projected revenue for local vendors, partners, and stadium staff. The All Things Go cancellation occurred the same day the event was to begin.

While the New York and Massachusetts events were halted, the Washington D.C. iteration of the All Things Go festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion was scheduled to proceed as planned. For those affected by the northern cancellations, organizers for all three major events confirmed refunds would be available.

Timeline of what happened

Key dates and decisions, in the order they occurred.

  1. September 25, 2026

    All Things Go NYC and Ed Sheeran concerts officially canceled

  2. September 25, 2026

    Global Citizen Festival in Central Park called off due to forecast

Summaries are written by The Plain Record to state the facts of a story plainly and without political slant. Drafted with AI assistance and checked against the source record before publication. See how we report, or report a correction.

← Back to the front page

Questions readers ask

What happened: Major East Coast Concerts and Festivals Canceled as Nor'easter Approaches?

Several major music festivals and concerts along the U.S. East Coast were canceled on Friday, September 25, 2026, as a powerful nor'easter approached the region. The cancellations include Ed Sheeran’s scheduled performances in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park, and the All Things Go music festival at Forest Hills Stadium.

Who is involved?

Ed Sheeran, Global Citizen Festival, and All Things Go festival organizers.

When did this happen?

Friday, September 25, 2026

Where did this happen?

New York, New York; Foxborough, Massachusetts; and surrounding East Coast regions.

Why does this matter?

A powerful nor'easter was forecast to bring heavy rain and wind gusts over 60 mph, making it unsafe to hold large outdoor gatherings.