For a second straight year, Jay-Z’s popular Made in America music festival has been canceled.
In an April 3 statement on the festival’s website and social media channels, organizers said the gathering on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway would return at some point in the future.
“As purveyors of change, the Made In America executive production team is reimagining a live music experience that affirms our love and dedication to music and the work we do,” the statement said. “We promise an exciting return to the festival.”
Related Story: Jay-Z’s Made in America Music Festival Loses Top Sponsor
— Made In America Festival (@MIAFestival) April 3, 2024
No other explanation was given as to why the production team called off the two-day festival, which was scheduled to take place on Labor Day weekend.
The statement noted that the festival is known for “uplifting local small businesses.”
But with the event being canceled, those same businesses will likely suffer financially.
The lineup for 2024 had not yet been announced, per CBS News.
In 2023, organizers halted the Made in America festival less than a month before it was scheduled to take place. They blamed the decision on unforeseen circumstances.
“Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made In America festival will no longer be taking place. This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation,” read a statement released in August 2023.
Lizzo and SZA were booked to headline last year’s festival.
The cancellation was announced just days after Lizzo was accused of sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment by three former backup dancers in a lawsuit filed on Aug. 1, 2023. The Grammy-winning singer denied the allegations.
Jay-Z founded the annual Made in America festival in 2012 to bring together music and culture.
Since the inaugural festival, “the event has generated over $180 million in economic impact for the city of Philadelphia,” according to Live Nation.
Each Labor Day weekend, Made in America draws tens of thousands of music fans to the City of Brotherly Love. Previous performers have included Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Post Malone, Meek Mill, Diplo, Zedd, and Cardi B, just to name a few.
In 2014, the festival was held simultaneously in Philadelphia and downtown Los Angeles.
Following complaints about increased traffic, noise, alcohol and drug-related arrests, the festival never returned to L.A.
The two-day festival held at Grand Park, adjacent to Los Angeles City Hall, was attended by more than 26,000 people. The LAPD said about two dozen people were arrested for alcohol-related offenses and drug-related felonies.
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