OCEAN CITY, Md. — Oceans Calling Festival launches Friday, September 26, 2025, at the Ocean City Inlet Beach, expecting 55,000 attendees across three days through Sunday, September 28. Organized by C3 Presents with the band O.A.R., the event features over 40 acts on three stages along South Atlantic Avenue, mixing rock, pop, reggae and alternative performances with access to Jolly Roger at the Pier rides and games. Headliners Green Day, Noah Kahan and Fall Out Boy with Weezer anchor the lineup, with single-day general admission tickets starting at $185 and limited availability as of September 24; three-day passes require a waitlist after selling out earlier this year.
Gates open daily at noon and close at 11 p.m., covering the boardwalk from the inlet to North Division Street, where no on-site parking exists south of that line. Shuttles operate from the West Ocean City Park and Ride at 12848 Ocean Gateway, the Ocean City Convention Center at 4001 Coastal Highway and the 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot, running early morning to late evening with ADA-accessible options. Organizers anticipate daily crowds near 50,000, matching 2024’s turnout that filled hotels and boosted boardwalk vendors despite occasional rain.
Friday’s lineup includes Green Day, Lenny Kravitz, The Black Crowes, Nelly, O.A.R., CAKE, Live, The Fray, Fountains of Wayne, B-52’s, Spin Doctors, Letters to Cleo, Ballyhoo!, Bel and Izzy Escobar. Saturday showcases Noah Kahan, Vampire Weekend, Good Charlotte, Modest Mouse, Jack’s Mannequin, Collective Soul, En Vogue, Franz Ferdinand, Natasha Bedingfield, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mat Kearney, Wheatus and Bumpin’ Uglies. Sunday closes with Fall Out Boy, Weezer, Train, Devo, Vance Joy, Ziggy Marley, 4 Non Blondes, Michelle Branch, Blind Melon, Burning Spear, Marcy Playground and a special O.A.R. and Friends set. Schedules remain subject to weather adjustments and appear in full on the festival app.
Culinary programming enhances the experience on the Carousel Stage, hosted by actor Jason Biggs with demonstrations by chefs Robert Irvine, Michael Voltaggio and Bryan Voltaggio. These sessions spotlight Eastern Shore seafood like crab cakes and oysters from local vendors, scheduled between music sets for seamless transitions. Outside food and drinks are prohibited, but free water stations dot the grounds. Security enforces bans on coolers, aerosol cans and bags larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Wristbands support re-entry and cashless payments, while quiet zones, nursing areas and ASL services ensure accessibility. Sustainability efforts include recycling stations and low-plastic vendors, aligning with Worcester County’s coastal conservation goals.
Travelers reach Ocean City via U.S. Route 50 east from the Capital Beltway, about 140 miles from Washington, D.C., or roughly three hours by car under normal conditions. Early departures before 7 a.m. Friday avoid projected 20 percent traffic spikes on Route 50, per Maryland Department of Transportation data. Visitors can extend trips with a 45-minute detour to Assateague Island National Seashore, 25 miles south, for wild pony sightings on dune trails. Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport, 30 miles southwest, offers regional flights, while Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, 120 miles west, serves broader connections. Hotel packages with three-day tickets near the inlet fill quickly, pushing bookings to West Ocean City for more parking and quieter stays.
Ocean City Police implement traffic diversions starting Thursday evening, closing sections of Coastal Highway to vehicles and using barricades for pedestrian flow, as seen in 2024’s incident-free handling of similar crowds. Merchandise booths sell festival apparel and beach gear, with pre-orders advised due to fast sellouts. September weather brings daytime highs near 75 degrees Fahrenheit and evening lows around 60 degrees with Atlantic breezes, requiring layers, sunscreen and closed-toe shoes for sand-covered planks. The festival app offers stage maps, set alerts and real-time updates, critical for navigating the multi-stage setup.
Now in its third year, Oceans Calling began in September 2023 to extend Ocean City’s tourism season beyond summer. Conceived by O.A.R.’s Marc Roberge and backed by C3, it blends national acts with local boardwalk culture. The 2024 festival, headlined by Blink-182, The Killers and Dave Matthews Band, sold 55,000 tickets and generated $40 million to $50 million in economic impact through lodging, dining and retail, with half the attendees from out of state, per Ocean City Tourism Director Tom Perlozzo. This year’s event continues the trend, supporting the island’s 8,500 year-round residents by sustaining seasonal jobs.
The boardwalk’s music legacy dates to the 1950s, when doo-wop acts drew summer crowds of 300,000 to open-air pavilions. By the 1970s, Fager’s Island hosted rock bands, setting the stage for today’s festivals. Oceans Calling differs from the defunct Ocean City Sunset Music Festival of the 2010s, which struggled with rising costs, by integrating Jolly Roger’s 1964-era rides like the Ferris wheel and carousel for family appeal.
Coastal Highway businesses extend hours through Monday, stocking festival essentials like reusable bottles and local snacks from Delmarva suppliers. The event counters Ocean City’s 90 percent winter vacancy rates, supporting hospitality and retail sectors. Noise curfews at 11 p.m. comply with local ordinances, ensuring quiet for nearby residences. With clear skies forecast, the inlet prepares for amplified sets against ocean waves, cementing Ocean City’s role as a mid-Atlantic music destination for Delaware, Virginia and beyond.