What was supposed to be a night of music in Salt Lake City turned into a scramble for shelter when severe weather forced the RedWest Music Festival to shut down early on Saturday, October 11.

The second night of the three-day event, set to be headlined byPost Malone, was abruptly paused and later canceled due to thunderstorms and unsafe conditions at the Utah State Fairpark.

Tens of thousands of attendees, some of whom had traveled from out of state, were left disappointed and drenched as organizers issued an emergency evacuation. While fans hoped the show might resume, worsening weather and safety concerns brought the night to an unexpected end.

The weather took a turn just before 5:15 p.m., when festival-goers were notified via the event’s mobile app that performances were being paused. Soon after, organizers posted on social media urging everyone to gather their belongings and leave the venue to seek shelter.

With limited official shelter options, many attendees improvised — taking cover in nearby buses, bathrooms and even local businesses.

“From the bathrooms, to the tents… now we’re in this random building,” Alan Scott, a concertgoer, told Fox 13. “Luckily these nice people let us in.”

Despite the conditions, many remained hopeful that the headline act would still happen. “We’re going to tough it out until Post Malone comes,” Scott said. “We came all the way here to see Post Malone, so we’ll wait it out.”

Despite their optimism, the wait didn’t pay off. Although RedWest organizers reportedly shared a social media update around 7:50 p.m. saying they were “optimistic,” the post was later deleted. At 9:40 p.m., the official announcement came that the show would not go on.

“For the safety of our fans, artists, and staff, we are unable to continue with today’s programming. Conditions at the festival site are currently unsafe to proceed,” the RedWest team posted on Instagram.

“We’re truly sorry and appreciate your patience and understanding. Please stay tuned to our social channels and check your email for further updates and next steps.”

RedWest, which bills itself as a “rain or shine” event, notes on its website that severe weather exceptions, like lightning or high winds, can lead to delays.

Organizers also state that they work closely with local meteorologists to monitor conditions in real time. “In the event of severe weather, such as lightning or high winds, we have safety protocols and evacuation plans in place to temporarily pause or delay programming until it’s safe to continue.”