Harlem Festival of Culture canceled due to extreme heat

The 2023 version of the legendary Harlem Festival of Culture has been canceled due to the excessive heat conditions that have left NYC sweltering for days.

The events were scheduled to kick off on Friday with concerts on Randall's Island, in addition to events in and around the neighborhood. But organizers put out a message on Friday stating that they had called off the weekend festival.

"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's Festival of Culture with public safety in mind," read a message posted to the event's Instagram.

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The big party — complete with food, sporting events and film screenings — was set to bring the community together and shine a light on one of the most vibrant neighborhoods NYC has to offer. But organizers said they couldn't take the risk of something happening to someone involved.

"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," a statement from the event's organizer's read.

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Organizers instructed those who purchased tickets and packages to visit www.harlemfestivalofculture.com for more information on refunds.

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What is the Harlem Festival of Culture?

A modern version of the original 1969 festival, featured in Quest Love's Oscar-winning documentary "Summer of Soul," was supposed to be coming to New York. The lineup for the Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC) had some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop and R&B, including concert performances from Wyclef Jean, Bell Biv Devoe, and Harlem native Doug E. Fresh.

The cultural celebration was set to feature indoor and outdoor music concerts, moderated panels, film screenings and more.

There was also going to be a reimagined "Mart 125 Marketplace" reminiscent of the original Mart 125, a legendary marketplace for Black-owned businesses. The original is located across the street from the Apollo Theatre, and the marquee can still be seen on 125th Street.