Web Summit cancelled the second day of its Lisbon conference after Portugal's government advised organizers that Storm Charles posed risks from high winds, tidal flooding and disruption to public transport. The technology gathering told delegates and speakers overnight that Wednesday's program would not proceed, while organizers said they expected to resume on Thursday if conditions allowed.
The cancellation affected an event that draws about 70,000 attendees, including technology executives, political leaders, media figures and other speakers. It was part of a wider shutdown in Lisbon as schools and shops closed, local transport faced disruption and non-essential public services stopped operating. Flights were also delayed or cancelled as severe weather affected the region.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said his office had recommended suspending Web Summit activity because of the expected impact of storms Bruna and Charles. The formal decision remained with the conference, whose organizers accepted the advice after discussions with the government, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority and the Public Security Police.
In its notice, Web Summit identified tidal flooding, high winds affecting outdoor structures and severe public-transport disruption as the main hazards behind the decision. Those risks matter at a large international conference where tens of thousands of people move between venues and depend on local roads, rail and other services. Even if indoor facilities remain intact, transport interruptions and unsafe external structures can make normal operations impractical.
Organizers said they were continuing to monitor conditions with authorities and emergency services. Their plan was to proceed with the third day on Thursday, November 12, after the storm passed, but that expectation remained dependent on weather and official safety assessments. The scheduled Thursday program included a discussion featuring SAG-AFTRA executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
The interruption demonstrates how extreme weather can rapidly alter major event plans. For conference operators, the decision involves more than conditions at a single venue: they must consider whether attendees can travel safely, whether emergency services are available and whether temporary outdoor infrastructure can withstand forecast winds. Government coordination also provides a common operating picture across public transport, policing and civil protection.
For attendees, the overnight notice meant abandoning a full day of planned meetings, presentations and exhibitions. The available report did not detail replacement sessions, refunds or other arrangements, and organizers had not indicated that the entire conference was cancelled. Their announcement applied specifically to day two and framed Thursday as a prospective return rather than a guarantee.
Officials and organizers prioritized immediate safety while leaving open the possibility of resuming once the storm moved through. Further schedule decisions were expected to depend on updated assessments of flooding, wind damage and the restoration of transport and public services in Lisbon.
