Overview
- Organizers announced on Thursday that Friday’s performances for the Sept. 25 opening day were canceled because crews could not safely finish the stage and infrastructure build after the nor’easter accelerated beach erosion at the Ocean City site.
- Single-day Friday tickets will be fully refunded and Front Gate Tickets purchasers of some three-day passes will receive a 33% partial refund, with refunds expected to post to original payment methods within about 30 days.
- Meteorologists reported strong winds and 6–11 foot waves driving rough tides that worsened shoreline loss, and forecasts identify Friday and Saturday as the most impacted days for continued hazardous conditions.
- The canceled lineup included headliners Dave Matthews Band and Hootie & the Blowfish and multiple supporting acts, while organizers say they are working with city officials to try to run Saturday and Sunday’s headliners if conditions improve.
- The decision follows a 2022 full cancellation because of Hurricane Ian and reflects a growing pattern of coastal festivals facing last-minute disruption from storm-driven erosion, with local vendors, crews and attendees facing potential economic and travel impacts.