ATLANTA — Although officials stated it is a rain or shine event, a lot more than rain came barreling at metro Atlanta on Saturday forcing the 15th annual Lantern Parade to be canceled.

Thousands of people were expected to attend the 15th annual Lantern Parade along the Westside trail of the Atlanta Beltline on Saturday evening.

The beloved event normally features hundreds of people displaying unique lanterns as they march behind five bands.

The party was set to begin in Adair Park at 7:30 p.m. and the parade was scheduled for 8:30 p.m.

However, that timing would have been right in the thick of the severe weather and several tornado warnings that affected the south and east of the metro area.

Around 5 p.m., the Atlanta Beltline organization hosting the event issued the following statement about the decision to cancel:

“Due to forecasted thunderstorms beginning around 8:00 p.m., we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel tonight’s Lantern Parade out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of parade goers, marshalls, band members, and the general public.”