After initially calling off the first day of the 2026 Oceans Calling Festival due to poor weather, organizers have canceled the three-day music, food and cultural event in Ocean City, Maryland.
Coastal flooding has impacted the Ocean City site – a boardwalk and inlet beach – ahead of a rare September Nor'easter heading toward the East Coast.
The megaconcert was set for Sept. 25-27, with Columbus duo Twenty One Pilots headlining on Sept. 26. Another hometown band, Caamp, was scheduled to play on Sept. 27.
Oceans Calling organizers said in an Instagram post that tides, floods and high winds hindered the safe construction of the festival site. Below is the statement
about the cancellation and ticket refunds:
What is Oceans Calling?
The Oceans Calling Festival launched in 2022, the outgrowth of a partnership between Maryland-based band O.A.R. and C3 Presents, producers of Lollapalooza. Unfortunately, weather conditions sidelined the inaugural festival.
In 2025, the massively popular, multi-genre musical event saw 162,000 total fans – the highest verified turnout in its history – and averaged 54,000 daily attendees in spite of the rainy weather.
Contact features and entertainment reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Twenty One Pilots' headlining set canceled as Oceans Calling is axed
