Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello Launch Power To The People Festival in Maryland

Rock guitarist Tom Morello unveiled the Power To The People Festival, a one-day music and activism event scheduled for October 3, 2026 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The festival features a lineup of more than two dozen artists including Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, and Joan Baez, with proceeds benefiting voter registration and election access organizations.

Morello announced the festival during a tour performance with Springsteen at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on May 27. According to the announcement, pre-sale tickets became available on May 29, followed by general public sales on May 30. The curated event centers on what Morello described as the intersection of music, art, and collective action for social change.

Festival Lineup and Format

The one-day event will feature performances across two stages, with the artist roster spanning multiple genres and generations. Performers announced include Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Serj Tankian, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike, grandson, Taylor Momsen, and Matt Cameron. Jack Black will perform with collaborators including his son Roman Morello, along with Revel Ian, Yoyoka Soma, and Hugo Weiss. The festival will also include a DJ set by Shepard Fairey, the artist who designed the event's poster.

Freedom Village and Community Impact

Beyond music performances, the festival incorporates a dedicated "Freedom Village" where attendees can engage with nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and community partners. This immersive space is designed to help visitors learn about civic engagement, grassroots organizing, education, mutual aid, and projects with measurable social impact.

A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to two nonpartisan organizations: VoteRiders, which focuses on eliminating identification barriers to voting, and HeadCount, a national group that conducts voter registration and election education at concerts and festivals. The festival will direct 100 percent of net VIP ticket proceeds to these organizations.

Artist Statement and Vision

Morello described the festival's purpose in direct terms: "The Power To The People festival is about freedom, justice, equality and rock and roll. It's about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community, and action." The guitarist emphasized that the event celebrates activism, creativity, and hope through the combined force of a substantial musical lineup and structured opportunities for community organizing.