Katy Perry's Werchter Boutique Set Canceled for 55,000 Fans as Belgium Festival Ends at 9 p.m.

3 articles · Updated · Us Weekly · Jun 27

Katy Perry said her Saturday set at Werchter Boutique in Belgium was scrapped by a government-mandated order while she was backstage preparing to perform.
55,000 attendees were affected after authorities and festival organizers cited incoming severe thunderstorms and crowd-safety risks, deciding to shut the event at 9 p.m.
Pitbull's performance became the festival's last act, with organizers saying the early end would allow a safe, orderly exit before conditions worsened.
Perry, 41, said she had hoped to return to Werchter after 17 years and urged fans to get home safely.

Sources

As extreme weather hits more festivals, how must the industry's financial and insurance models adapt to survive?

Could new crowd-monitoring tech have prevented the cancellation by enabling a guaranteed, rapid evacuation plan?

When governments force cancellations for safety, who is ultimately left to absorb the multi-million dollar cost?