Lovin' Life Music Fest evacuates as severe thunderstorm pummels Charlotte
The festival grounds were evacuated around 4:45 p.m., and fans were encouraged to find shelter because of lightning, organizers said on social media.
Fans flooded into to the closest shelters — The Market at 7th Street and its parking deck. It didn't take long for the market to reach capacity, and people were blocked off at the door.
The festival issued this statement on social media: 'Due to lightning in the area, the Lovin' Life Fest grounds have been temporarily evacuated for safety. We expect the storm to pass within the hour. Please seek shelter and stay tuned to our app and social media for updates.'
A short distance away outside the Kendrick Lamar concert, set to start at 7 p.m., Bank of America Stadium officials warned 'Seek cover,' on social media site X.
As the rain started to pour, crowds had been hurriedly making their way toward Bank of America stadium. Decked in a Mustard sweater, a concertgoer named Seven said rain and all, he was ready to listen to all of his favorites, including 'wacced out murals.'
At 4:30 p.m., the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning until 5:30 p.m. for Charlotte, Gastonia and Rock Hill. Winds up to 60 mph and quarter-size hail were possible, NWS meteorologists said.
The storm eased up somewhat at 5:10 p.m., with lighter rain and clearer skies. Although at 5:10 p.m., the NWS said a severe thunderstorm warning would continue for Charlotte, Concord and Kannapolis until 5:45 p.m.
At 6 p.m., stadium officials signaled what appeared to be an 'all-clear' message on X: 'It's Saturday night in the Queen City, and we've got a SOLD OUT show with Kendrick Lamar and SZA on the Grand National Tour. This one is going to be special.'
Display text on the stadium's message boards advising concertgoers to seek cover were removed, and fans moved toward their seats.
Around that time, Lovin' Life spokeswoman Chastity Todd told CharlotteFive: 'Lovin' Life Music Fest is preparing to reopen the fest grounds shortly as the weather continues to clear. We're actively monitoring conditions and getting everything ready to welcome fans back. Stay tuned to the Lovin' Life app and our official channels for the official all-clear and updated schedule info.'
Todd soon told CharlotteFive the festival would reopen at 6:15 p.m.
Check back for updates. This is a developing story.
Desiree Mathurin contributed.
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