Tom Morello launches Power To The People Festival for October 3, 2026
Tom Morello launched the first-ever power to the people festival on-stage at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., and set it for October 3, 2026 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Bruce Springsteen used the May 27 concert to tell the crowd that he and Morello would return to D.C. for “another night of music and resistance.”
Springsteen said, “The first-ever Power to the People Festival will be announced to the world, tomorrow,” before naming several of the artists attached to the one-day event. The lineup already stretches across Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Serj Tankian, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike, grandson, The Neighborhood Kids, Taylor Momsen, Matt Cameron, The Linda Lindas, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Morello himself.
Nationals Park on May 27
Springsteen also said, “In the future, we want to keep raising our voices for hope and justice, together,” and added, “Tom will be there, Dave Matthews, The Foo Fighters. My friends The Dropkick Murphy will be there.” He said, “I’ll be back guesting and playing on a few songs with Tom and his band,” which puts the October date in direct line with the tour run that had carried the announcement night.
The festival is being billed as a non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action. That framing is built into the event itself: two stages, artwork and a DJ set by Shepard Fairey, plus a Freedom Village for nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, artists and community partners.
Freedom Village at Merriweather
Morello’s own statement puts the event’s business model in plain terms: “The Power To The People festival is about freedom, justice, equality and rock and roll.” He added, “It’s about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community, and action.”
For readers deciding whether to act now, the practical window is already open. Pre-sale begins Friday, May 29 at 10AM ET, and general on-sale follows Saturday, May 30 at 10AM ET, with the one-day festival scheduled for October 3 in Columbia, Maryland.
