Questlove gave a heartfelt explanation after the 2025 Roots Picnic Day 1 “disaster” left furious fans stranded outside for hours due to severe weather. Organizers’ response to heavy rains drew “Fyre Fest” comparisons, but the Roots drummer claimed that long delays were all they could do to save the day.
When it comes to good vibes and great performances, attendees have high expectations for the Roots Picnic. And the annual event always comes through for the culture, but this year, the weather had other plans. On Saturday, people flocked to Philly and lined up in advance to see acts like Maxwell, GloRilla, Latto, Tems, Jeezy, and Miguel.
The doors to the event were scheduled to open at 1 p.m. Yet, the lines outside The Mann Center in Fairmount Park just got longer and longer without explanation. Philly Mag reports that more than three hours later, the official Roots Picnic account finally posted an update:
“Hey fam — due to the heavy storms that hit the Philly area over the last 24–48 hours, the festival grounds took on a lot of mud and flooding. It created some real safety hazards, and we couldn’t open the gates until we made sure everything was solid for y’all.
The good news: the schedule has been adjusted so you won’t miss a single act we promised. We’re just shifting things back to make sure everyone still gets the full experience.
Appreciate your patience and understanding while we do what we gotta do to keep it safe and unforgettable. We promise we’ll make up for it — welcome to the Picnic!”
Baby they are saying the Roots Picnic was a fool! I don’t trust outdoor venues that don’t allow you to bring a chair so I didn’t go. They stood in line for 3-4 hours and didn’t get anywhere near the entrance? @LiveNationUrban needs to do the right thing and refund these folks! pic.twitter.com/pUoDQUdAFY
By the time of the announcement after 4 p.m., several complaints claimed it was too little, too late. Although the weather for outdoor events is a wildcard, critics of the Live Nation-produced picnic pointed out that torrential rains and flood warnings began weeks ago. Demands for refunds started as the wait for entry dragged on until about 7 p.m. The confused crowd was left standing all that time as rain continued.
Even when doors did finally open despite the rain and mud, there was a bottleneck through the limited metal detectors. “It was an absolute disaster,” Lauren Brown told Philly Mag about the chaos. She claimed no one communicated to them what was going on, even when they questioned event staff walking by.
Val Jenkins said the VIP line was three times longer than general admission. Some people eventually gave up and left, while another woman passed out in line. “There was no food for those of us waiting out there in line for hours and hours. Maybe that woman was diabetic and needed to eat. Who knows? It was just wrong,” she said.
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