UPDATE: Gates reopened at 6 p.m. An updated schedule was posted to Twitter.
ORIGINAL STORY: Music Midtown is being evacuated due to weather, the music fest alerted on Twitter.
“Make your way calmly to an exit,” according to the post. “Stay tuned for festival updates.”
At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Music Midtown organizers made the call to temporarily evacuate Piedmont Park due to weather.
Live Nation president Peter Conlon said the lightning that is expected to pass through the area this hour prompted the decision.
Organizers plan to re-launch the festival once any dangerous weather has passed.
The call to evacuate was made just as singer Corinne Bailey Rae finished her set. The Alabama Shakes, Kesha, The Lumineers, The Killers and several other were scheduled to perform later in the day.
Channel 2 Meteorologist Katie Walls reported there were no lightening strikes, just rain.
Pop up showers were expected to persist throughout the day, but nothing severe.
Attendees online reported heavy traffic jams near 10th Street and Charles Allen Drive.
Organizers expect to resume the festival in about 6 p.m. The plan is to pick up the schedule where it left off.
