Questlove issued an apology to fans who endured mud, long waits in long lines and a disorganized schedule on the first day of the Roots Picnic Saturday.
“I know today wasn’t ‘ideal’ for The Roots Picnic in this 18th year of 2025,” he wrote on Instagram at 3 a.m. Sunday. “This year has been particularly challenging to say the least. Transforming the Mann Center into our event takes about two weeks, but as many of you experienced, heavy rain from May 30th into the morning of the 31st caused significant damage (midnight to 7am).”
The Roots Picnic was originally scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET, but fans waiting in long lines in the rain were informed around 5 p.m. that the show would be delayed due to heavy storms, mud and flooding that “created some real safety hazards” in Philadelphia, per The Roots’ Instagram account. They noted that artists’ schedules had been adjusted to ensure all acts took the stage and fans got the full experience.
Quest also explained in his Instagram post that the festival’s organizers made it a point to prioritize “caution above all else” and said he wanted to make sure the artists “could perform without violating city noise curfews.”
“I wanna thank you for your understanding and patience through this adversity,” Quest said. “This year has shown our ability to adapt and overcome challenges, much like we did in past years…Tomorrow is a new day.”
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