Oceans Calling 2026 festival canceled as nor’easter threatens Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, Md. - The 2026 Oceans Calling festival has been canceled as a strengthening nor'easter threatens to bring severe flooding and high winds and waves to Ocean City.

What we know:

Festival organizers announced the cancellation on Friday following guidance from the National Weather Service and in cooperation with local public officials, citing safety concerns that prevented crews from continuing build operations for the event.

RELATED: Coastal Flood Warnings, Advisories as nor’easter threatens Delaware, Maryland and Virginia beaches

All ticket types purchased directly through Front Gate Tickets will be automatically refunded to the original payment method within 30 days.

"Thank you to the Oceans Calling fans," festival organizers said in a statement posted to their website. "We know how far you have traveled, and the time and energy you have put into being here. If you are in town already and staying through the weekend; please enjoy Ocean City and be safe." 

The announcement was disappointing for the nearly 55,000 people who planned to attend. The sold-out, three-day event, considered Maryland’s biggest music festival, was set to host prominent artists, including Dave Matthews, Hootie & the Blowfish, Matchbox Twenty, Gwen Stefani and Third Eye Blind.

Festival organizers explained that severe tides, rising floodwaters, and extreme winds prevented crews from safely finishing stage construction for the weekend performances.

What they're saying:

Many fans had already spent thousands of dollars on flights and hotels and were already in town when the announcement was made. Despite the cancellation, visitors are still filling the area.

"Look, I was just up on the boardwalk, and it's packed," said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. "This is a nor'easter; it's windy, the tides aren't affecting the boardwalk. They're concertgoers; they've been through this before. We have people from every state in the Union coming to this concert."

To support local businesses affected by the lost festival revenue, the town of Ocean City opened all parking lots previously designated for stages and waived all parking fees for the weekend to encourage visitors to shop and dine locally.

Some of the artists who were scheduled to perform are finding alternative ways to connect with fans.

Singer Cassandra Coleman and her band made a 13-hour drive from Nashville to participate in the festival. After visiting the pier and witnessing the harsh ocean conditions firsthand, Coleman said she completely understood the safety decision but remained determined to perform.

"I just was like, I can't let him down, we still gotta put on a show," Coleman said, referring to her brother, who traveled to see her and his favorite artists. "There's so many people who have that energy; I spent a lot to get here. We're not the headliners by any means, but we thought we could still be a part of people having a good time."

Coleman and her band pivoted to set up a pop-up show at Seacrets for fans staying in town.

Online, the cancellation prompted attendees to call for the event to be rescheduled to a different time of year. Some noted that weather disruptions have impacted the festival before. In 2022, the inaugural Oceans Calling festival was similarly canceled due to incoming conditions from Hurricane Ian.

What's next:

Town officials are turning their focus to the upcoming "Country Calling" festival, a two-day beach event that features headliners Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, and Dierks Bentley. The event is scheduled to move forward as planned under favorable weather forecasts.

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