OCEAN CITY, Md. – The sounds of music and cheering filled the Inlet parking lot in Ocean City this past weekend as the Oceans Calling music festival returned for another year. Organizers and attendees called the three-day festival a success, even with rain showers dampening Saturday’s schedule.
The lineup featured acts like Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Noah Kahan and Lenny Kravitz. Fans traveled from across the country and around the world to attend. For some, the trip was a long one.
Jean Pierre and Carla Verster traveled from South Africa to see the shows.
“We saw a playlist on Spotify called Oceans Calling,” Jean Pierre Verster said. “We googled it and we saw it’s actually a music festival. And the lineup was so great, we felt we had to come.”
The couple said they made the most of their experience, even through Saturday’s weather.
“I think we’ve learned that you need to roll with the punches,” Jean Pierre Verster said. “So, we just got a raincoat and still danced in the rain.”
Carla Verster added that the festival’s setup impressed them. “We did the VIP experience. It was amazing. I think I’m ruined now. I can’t do festivals without having that beach experience. I loved everything about it,” she said.
Other festivalgoers said this year felt smoother than in the past. Siblings Austin and Taylor Arroyo, who attended in both 2023 and 2024, noted changes in the layout.
“The walkway through the sand was really helpful. Because that wasn’t there last year,” Taylor Arroyo said. “It was a lot harder to get around last year.”
The pair added that Oceans Calling felt more family-oriented than other music festivals they have attended. “You see a lot of kids, you see a lot of people that might be retirees. A lot different from other music festivals, a little more wholesome,” Austin Arroyo said.
Businesses on the boardwalk said the crowds helped them as well. Erin Soriano, a manager at Fisher’s Popcorn, said sales were steady throughout the weekend.
“It was great. I can’t complain,” Soriano said. “You know, we had lots and lots of people out here. It’s pretty good. You know, looking forward to this weekend. So we’ll see how that goes.”
Soriano added that Saturday’s rain slowed things down, but customers still came to their window between showers.
Now, with the stages cleared from the Inlet parking lot, crews are preparing the area for Country Calling, which kicks off Friday afternoon. But for the thousands who made the trip, Oceans Calling left its mark as a highlight of the fall season in Ocean City.