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Governors Ball is evacuated after thunderstorms

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Governors Ball is evacuated after thunderstorms

Revelers sprint for cover as fierce thunderstorms lash the Governors Ball with acts including The Strokes and SZA cut and festival organizers promising refunds for final day washout

  • The Governors Ball on Randall’s Island festival in New York started badly after opening six hours late
  • At 9.35pm promoters asked crowds to move towards exit gates due to storms with powerful winds expected
  • Some festival-goers voiced their outrage after missing their favorite artists, including The Strokes and SZA

By James Gant For Mailonline

Published: 04:19 EDT, 3 June 2019 | Updated: 14:34 EDT, 3 June 2019

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Revelers have been left devastated after a severe thunderstorm forced the early closure of a New York City festival and meant they missed their favorite artists.

The Governors Ball on Randall’s Island saw party-goers sent home last night before stars including The Strokes and SZA were scheduled to perform.

The storm was expected to whip up 60mph winds and produce large bolts of lightning as it was forecast to moved across the city until around 11pm.

The Governors Ball on Randall’s Island saw party-goers sent home last night before stars including The Strokes and SZA were scheduled to perform. Severe weather was expected and organizers pulled the event

They cued for hours in the sun as they waited for the festival’s delayed opening at 6.30pm, but were evacuated in the rain after 9.35pm (pictured) 

Revelers shelter under a tree as rain beats down last night in New York. The storm was expected to whip up 60mph winds and produced large bolts of lightning as it was forecast to moved across the city until around 11pm

Flashback: This was the scene last year as revelers danced in the sun – in stark contrast to the dismal conditions this year

Some festival-goers put on makeshift coats to try to keep the rain out as they exited the concert. Others ran for it to keep dry

Promoters announced the news at 9.35pm through Twitter and stage screens and asked the crowds to move towards the exit gates.

The tweet assured people there would be refunds for the last day of the festival.

In its ninth year, Governors Ball – which brings some 150,000 people over three days to tiny Randall’s Island, where the New York boroughs of Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx come together – remains the longest-running of an increasing number of summer music festivals in the metropolis.

Members of the rap group Beast Coast appear on the stage after a notice to evacuate the grounds due to severe weather appears on a screen

The evacuation came after a delayed start to the festival, with organizers keeping the gates closed until 6.30pm – after a scheduled 12pm start – due to the threat of storms

The update left some festival-goers outraged, with one saying: ‘Now we all have to miss acts and choose between one or the other’

The evacuation came after a delayed start to the festival, with organizers keeping the gates closed until 6.30pm – after a scheduled 12pm start – due to the threat of storms.

An update on the festival’s website yesterday afternoon read: ‘Today’s performance schedule has been adjusted due to thunderstorms forecast to arrive in the early evening.’

It added: ‘As a result, some of the artists scheduled for earlier in the day are no longer able to perform.’

The update left some festival-goers outraged, with one saying: ‘Now we all have to miss acts and choose between one or the other. 

‘No charlic xcx and the strokes and sza to go on at the same time?? This is bull****.’

Another posted on social media: ‘It’s so sunny outside there is no need to cancel day acts and schedule other artists for the times when it’s ‘raining’.’

And one wrote: ‘We traveled across the country, paid for a hotel, VIP tickets for a day pass today, literally to see CHARLI and she’s not on? Like, Ashton Kutcher’s gonna jump out we’re getting punked, right?’

Some acts such as Nas (pictured yesterday) made it out between the late start and early finish. Charli XCX is to appear in a last-minute gig tonight after her set was cancelled

Sza and The Strokes were due to perform after the gates opened last night – but they were cut from the listing due to the evacuation.

Charli XCX is to take to the stage at a last-minute gig at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City tonight after her set was canceled.

Football fans at the New York Giants and New York Jets shared MetLife Stadium were also disrupted last night and asked to take cover inside for half an hour. They returned to their outdoor seats at 10.15pm.

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