Vegas ‘Lovers & Friends’ Festival Featuring Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige Canceled Less Than 24 Hours Before Opening

An epic Las Vegas festival with a lineup including Alica Keys, Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani was canceled on the eve of its opening due to high winds.

According to the official website of the “Lovers & Friends” festival, “the organizers have been monitoring the weather for several days and are proactively preparing for a windy Saturday. However, the National Weather Service has now issued a high wind warning, including dangerous sustained winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts possibly exceeding 60 mph.”

“On the advice of the National Weather Service and in consultation with local government officials, we must make the safest decision for our fans, artists and staff and cancel tomorrow’s Lovers & Friends Festival,” the statement posted Friday continued.

“This was an incredibly heartbreaking decision as we are aware that fans have traveled from all over the world to enjoy this incredible line-up of superstars and have been looking forward to this event for several months,” the statement said. “We worked hard to create a great event for you, and we are just as disappointed as you are.” ‍

The statement noted that “ticket holders who purchased their tickets directly through Front Gate Tickets will receive a refund via the original payment method within 30 days.”

In addition to Keys, Blige, Jackson and Stefani, ‘Lovers & Friends’ was packed with other notable stars in music, including Usher, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Nelly Furtado, TLC and MIA

The one-day fest, which was scheduled to take place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, began in 2022.

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