Thousands of spectators are waiting for the prestigious concert in Central Park

Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith or Paul Simon are heading to a concert scheduled for Saturday in Central Park Grounds, New York.

But with the possibility of a hurricane heading towards the east coast of the United States, as well as a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases due to the delta variant, there is a risk that the event could disrupt the festive atmosphere for 60,000 spectators.

All participants 12 years of age and older must provide proof of vaccination, except those who cannot be vaccinated due to disability. Except for unvaccinated children, masks are not required for this outdoor concert.

Bill de Blasio, the mayor of America’s largest city, told local radio on Friday that the program was designed to “let people know, let the world know, that New York is back.”

Since the outbreak began, New York has mourned more than 33,000 COVID-19 victims, and for Bill de Blasio, the concert should be a symbol of the city’s recovery.

“I think it’s one of the defining moments that we’re back and telling everyone that we will be fine, no matter what the circumstances,” the city councilor said.

The show airs for five hours and is broadcast live on US television.

In the weeks leading up to Saturday’s event, a series of concerts were held in various parts of the city, including Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, KRS – 1, as well as members of the Woo-Tong Klan, including Ghostface Killa and Raiquan. Group.

The legendary George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars also performed at a concert in Queensboro on Friday night.

With the exception of a few VIP seats, tickets to Saturday’s concert are free, including Santana, Jennifer Hudson, LL Cool J, Barry Money or Earth, Wind and Fire.

More than 68% of adults in New York are fully vaccinated, but the number of recent infections in the city has risen to more than 1,800 cases per day, up 19% from two weeks earlier.

The sky at the concert was a bit dark as the American Hurricane Monitoring Center (NHC) announced that Hurricane Henry on the US East Coast had been classified as a Category 1 hurricane.

According to the NHC, Henry is due to reach the U.S. coast on Sunday at Long Island near New York or just north of New York, despite being expected to “weaken before his arrival”. .

The hurricane is expected to make landfall in New York City, but significant precipitation is also expected Saturday evening.

Bill de Blasio, however, said he was not too worried about the incident, which was “extraordinary” according to him.

“We are confident about the atmosphere for Saturday’s concert,” he said.