Great Lakes Piping Plover shorebirds

A music festival in Chicago has been called off due to the presence of endangered birds.

The 2019 installment of Mamby on the Beach was to take place August 23rd and 24th on Chicago’s Montrose Beach. However, the event has now been canceled due to “circumstances beyond our control,” organizers announced on Friday.



Those circumstances? The presence of Great Lakes Piping Plover shorebirds, a federally protected species, who have made their home on Montrose Beach.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, two piping plovers have been nesting on the beach for months and recently laid a clutch of eggs. One Plover chick hatched on the beach Wednesday night, and two others Thursday. They’re the first Plover chicks to have hatched in Chicago in more than 60 years.

“Despite working tirelessly with the Chicago Park District and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to find a new location, moving the festival at this late a date, while still providing a superior beach event experience, would be impossible and a disservice to fans and artists alike,” organizers of Mamby on the Beach added.

This year’s Mamby on the Beach promised performances from BROCKHAMPTON, Flying Lotus, Santigold, Troye Sivan, Sylvan Esso, Phantogram, and more. Organizers said tickets would be refunded within five to 10 business days.