The annual Global Citizen Festival is back this Saturday on the Great Lawn in Central Park and it’s got an impressive group of headliners.
The concert was created to bring attention to social causes, with the ultimate goal of ending extreme poverty. To “earn” a free seat people have to do things like sign petitions or tweet messages. Or you can pay $300 for VIP tickets.
Musicians this year include Carole King, Alicia Keys, Queen and Adam Lambert, OneRepublic and Pharrell Williams.
Last year, the concert went awry when some people mistook a popping bottle for gunshots and panicked, racing for the exits. This year, the festival has changed the layout somewhat, meaning the Great Lawn “will be even more open than in past years, with large, free-flowing spaces… Attendees will also notice enhanced lighting and signage for exit paths outside of the park. When you get into the park, make sure you are aware of the nearest exit.”
This year the gates open at 2 p.m., and the show starts at 5. It’s set to end at 10 p.m.
Remember when concerts in the park were free?
City parks are not supposed to be used for income generating events. Meanwhile the UWS is totally disrupted for a week and we can’t even use parts ofbour own park. As per usual CB7 does notthing for the UWS.
It’s a charity event. The money will go to feed those in extreme poverty. Try to imagine how entitled you sound complaining about not being able to parade about in a park WE ALL PAY TAXES FOR ?
Only VIP tiks are $300, the event is actually FREE via online registration! And you can do without YOUR park for ONE day! Deal with it… go to Coney Island and ride the rides that day!
The park is not closed for only one day. Already today, Tuesday, parts of the park are closed off making it difficult to find open entrances. By Friday many more entrances will be inaccessible, if consistent with prior years. I am not complaining about this inconvenience as we should all appreciate these security measures—just pointing out that it is a multi-day hassle for park-goers similar to Marathon week and Thanksgiving week.
I agree. I often wonder why some people choose to reside in NYC… all those cultural events! and other things that happen… in their park! gasp.
I don’t like crowds, so I won’t even try to be there. But I do recall the days when you could just show up in the Park, ‘Great lawn’, or elsewhere, without having to sign up/RSVP, etc.
That was a free Park event.
By the way, there are many other quiet, lovely parts of OUR park to walk or sit in, not anywhere near these events.Enjoy!
Will the Global citizens pay the park for the use of the Tax payers great lawn? If it were not for Queen there would absolutely be no talent at this event, nothing to see here 🙂
Global Citizen Festival does not pay for a thing!!!
And as I am a resident on the Upper West Side for all my life.
I’m sick and tired of seeing organizations like this taking avantage of our jewel… (The great lawn).
Carole King is the definition of talent.
Carole King is not talent as for the stage goes. She is a spectacular writer of our time of her published music. But by far no stage presence at all.
There’s absolutely no talent on the show showing that Global Citizens Festival is soon coming to an end.
Carole King is a legend – songwriter, singer, pianist, performer. You’re the only one in the country who doesn’t think so, Carole is also 77 years old and doesn’t need to do this, except that she has a kind and compassionate heart. Show some respect for one of the greatest of all time.
That being said, I would pay anything to hear
Adam Lambert and Queen! One of the truly great
voice.
So many people love to complain. Why don’t you take all that hot air and put it towards a good cause, like one of the many posted by Global Citizen.
I had the same thought. My wife was riding her bike this morning at 10 and heard Carole King doing her sound check. How fun is that? Beautiful day for a concert.
And yes, now you can’t just wander in like the old days, you have to pre-register. That is an issue of security, a sign of the times. Let’s be thankful we live in a city with such wonderful events.
This is the UWS ….this is what we do !!!