On Twitter, Angry Orchard, a hard cider subsidiary of the Boston Beer Company (which also makes Sam Adams beer), first referenced the cancellation in response to a tweet asking for information about buying tickets.

The sponsor, Angry Orchard Cider Company, rolled out the announcement Friday by updating the description of a Facebook event page for the “Rock the Roots” concert. “UPDATE 8/31: We’re very sorry to announce that the show on Saturday 9/1 has been cancelled,” the company posted.

A one-day music festival, scheduled for Saturday afternoon on Boston’s City Hall Plaza, was abruptly canceled because of “unforeseen circumstances” just a day before the event.


Hi there, unfortunately we've canceled the Rock the Roots show in Boston due to unforeseen circumstances. We're sorry for the inconvenience! — Angry Orchard (@AngryOrchard) August 31, 2018

The beer company could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday morning. The event page on the company’s website had been taken down by Saturday morning.

In an e-mail sent to ticket holders through the ticket company, Front Gate Tickets, organizers said the producer, EVP INC, had made the decision to call off the event.

“After much deliberation, and with great sadness, they had no choice but to reach this difficult decision due to several unforeseen circumstances beyond their control,” the e-mail said. “As a result, they did not feel that we would be able to provide the level of experience you expect and deserve.”

A spokeswoman for the City of Boston said in an e-mail that the production company informed the city’s Property Management Department was informed of the change of plans Friday morning, citing a “lack of ticket sales.”

The concert had been planned to run from 2 to 10 p.m. at City Hall Plaza and would have featured bands Young the Giant, Milky Chance, New Politics, STL-GLD, CONTACT, and Peter Michaels Atomic Blusion, according to the Facebook event page. Tickets, which ran at $55, would be refunded, Angry Orchard wrote on the page.


On Friday afternoon, Young the Giant, the headliner, expressed disappointment about the last-minute cancellation.

We just got word that tomorrow’s Rock the Roots fest in Boston has been canceled. So bummed, but unfortunately this is not our call and out of our control. Wish it wasn’t the case. All tickets will be refunded and hopefully we’ll see you all at another show soon !! ✌️✌️ — Young the Giant (@youngthegiant) August 31, 2018

CONTACT, another band set to perform at the festival, said there was a lot of confusion about the reasons behind calling off the festival. “The promoter just let us know the show is CANCELLED tomorrow. Super vague and sketchy,” the band wrote Friday on Twitter.

“The promoter messaged our manager a cryptic text. we couldn’t believe it and researched all morning,” the band wrote.

The late cancellation also prompted angry tweets and posts from would-be concertgoers, some of whom said they would be flying to Boston to attend the concert.

@AngryOrchard You guys are handling the Boston Rock The Roots cancellation insanely poorly. Most people don't know it's cancelled and it's supposed to start in less than 24 hrs! How have you not emailed ticketholders yet?! — Conor Caldwell (@conorcaldwell) August 31, 2018

Lucas Phillips can be reached at lucas.phillips@globe.com.