NYU’s annual Strawberry Festival event was canceled last-minute Friday morning, following the arrests of around 14 student protesters at the pro-Palestinian encampment outside the Paulson Center earlier the same day.
“Yes, Strawberry Fest is cancelled,” university spokesperson John Beckman wrote in a statement to WSN. “It’s regrettable, but given this morning’s developments, it seemed like a prudent step.”
The university’s program board, a student-run organization that helps sponsor events and programming at NYU throughout the academic year, confirmed that the festival would no longer be taking place in an Instagram post. The festival was originally planned for later today, from noon to 4 p.m.
“After consulting with Campus Safety, it is with great disappointment to announce that the 2024 Strawberry Festival is canceled,” the post reads.
The Strawberry Festival — a 35-year-old tradition hosted by the program board and the Center for Student Life — is typically held on West Third Street between LaGuardia Place and Mercer Street. The event, which is open to both the public and NYU affiliates, features local vendors and artists, NYU student organizations and a 160-foot-long strawberry shortcake.
Contact Carmo Moniz and Krish Dev at [email protected].
