Made In America 2023 Canceled Amid Headliner Lizzo's Workplace Lawsuit

PHILADELPHIA — One of Philadelphia's most popular music festivals has been called off for 2023.

Made In America, the Labor Day Weekend festival hosted on the Ben Franklin Parkway and curated by hip-hop legend Jay-Z, is not happening this year.

"Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made in America Festival will no longer be taking place," the festival's social media accounts said Tuesday afternoon. "This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly or without immense deliberation."

While the aforementioned circumstances are unclear, one of the festival's headliners is facing allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile workplace.

Melissa Viviane Jefferson, better known as Lizzo, is being sued by three dancers who were hired for one of the star's tours.

In the suit, dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez accuse Lizzo and her company of sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment.

The suit was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

The lawsuit alleges a dancer was pressured to touch a nude performer at a club, shamed for weight gain and forced to endure a combination of sexual and religious harassment by Lizzo's dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley.

Lizzo, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., and Quigley are all named in the suit.

Made in America Organizers said ticket holders to the 2023 festival, which also included SZA as a headliner, will be refunded through the original point of purchase.

"We look forward to returning to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the great city of Philadelphia in 2024," organizers said.