As reported yesterday ,

the Roosevelt Island FDR 4 Freedoms Park was hosting “Flower Market” public art installation by artist Cj Hendry this weekend:

… Cj is thrilled to announce her upcoming exhibition Flower Market , a stunning new collaboration with global luxury beauty brand Cl de Peau Beaut and in partnership with Four Freedoms Park Conservancy. Known for creating art on a grand scale, Cjs latest extraordinary exhibit
is no different and features a 120-foot by 40-foot greenhouse built on the
lawn of the FDR Four Freedoms State Park on Roosevelt Island. The greenhouse
will be filled with 100,000 meticulously crafted plush flowers inspired by the
natural radiance and botanicals used in Cl de Peau Beaut products….

Visitors were encouraged to register for free tickets but this morning the Roosevelt Island Flower Market location was overwhelmed with crowds of visitors without tickets. At least 5 thousand people showed up at the gates to Southpoint Park and FDR 4 Freedoms Park

to attend the Flower Market exhibition.

A Tipster reported:

Chaos at south point park, public safety closed the flower event due
to overcrowding and are telling everyone to exit the park, terrible
organization and communication! Hundreds of people still on their way and
there is no info on any socials about this so maybe you can share!. Hoping
to avoid another Cherry Blossom Festival disaster

Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department (PSD) and the NYPD were forced to close the park in the morning due to the large crowds.

RIOC PSD Chief Kevin Brown was at the subway station explaining to a woman that the Flower Market exhibition was closed due to overcrowding.

According to FDR 4 Freedom Parks Conservancy CEO Howard Axel:

We had to shut down the event in an abundance of caution. And the good folks from NYPD and PSD are assisting us. The event is over and we will open the gates as soon as we can to regular park visitors.

After the park was closed, the line of people already inside was 3 hours long to get into the Flower Market greenhouse

. Fortunately, the crowd was well behaved and took the long line in good cheer for the most part.

The Flower Market at 4 Freedoms Park was cancelled for today and tomorrow. Cj Hendry explains:

The event was moved to Industry City tomorrow in Brooklyn.

Roosevelt Island clearly cannot handle events with these type of large crowds. Fortunately, Roosevelt Island PSD and the NYPD were able to safely control the crowds and avoid a repeat of the dangerous overcrowded chaos caused by the 2019 Cherry Blossom Festival.

Today’s Roosevelt Island Fall For Arts Festival was not impacted at all

by the overcrowding at Southpoint and FDR Park.