Music City Maryland Festival 2026

The Music City Maryland Festival is back! Presented by Sun Rider 9 Productions.

Join us on Saturday, August 29th, 2026, from 1:00pm to 10:00 PM at The Vortex at CAA Park for an unforgettable day of music, food, and fun!

There is plenty of delicious food from the food trucks at the event and beverages including adult beverages. So grab a lawn chair and blanket and come out and enjoy this event at The Vortex!

🎶 Lineup 🎶

🌟 Exciting News About Tickets! 🌟

🎟 Ticket Details 🎟

Event Highlights

Celebrate Catonsville’s first 12-acre outdoor music and event venue, a space designed for live entertainment and community gatherings. Explore local shops and restaurants within walking distance, and kick off your day at one of Catonsville’s finest taverns or eateries.

Come and enjoy our seventh annual presentation of The Music City Maryland Festival!

VIP TENT! 10 TICKETS, 10X15 POP UP TENT & 10 CHAIRS PROVIDED. INCLUDES COOLER OF SODAS & WATERS & 3 DRINK TOKENS PER PERSON. DRINK TOKENS FOR 21 AND OVER, TENTS ARE LIMITED

West 22nd is a rock band out of Austin, TX, made up of five friends who met at UT Austin and never looked back. Logan Madsen (lead vocals), Gabe Acevedo (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Jeremy Ancheta (lead guitar), Jet Beck (bass), and Tyler Kerch (drums) came together with one shared goal: to make music for the world and become the next great rock band.

Their sound—self-described as carousel rock—spins through genre, emotion, and energy without ever losing its center. It’s a term they coined to capture the controlled chaos of their music: sometimes dizzying, sometimes grounding, always unforgettable.

From a breakout EP to a debut album that pulled in over 1.5 million streams in its first month, West 22nd has made it clear they’re not here to blend in. Their lyrics are autobiographical, their shows are electric, and their ambition’s impossible to miss. They’ve already played ACL, sold out venues in cities they’d never even been to, and built a fanbase that screams every word right back at them.

West 22nd isn’t a throwback or a trend—they’re what’s next. And if you’ve ever been in a crowd when the chorus hits just right, you already know.

Mallow Hill sparks a bright light into modern-day blues and rock & roll. The Baltimore based band creates music that fuses together a mesmerizing symphony of raw emotion, pulsating rhythms, and electrifying melodies. The band channels an eclectic mix of musical inspiration, drawing from the likes of Gary Clark Jr, The Black Pumas, Marcus King Band, Led Zeppelin, and The Black Keys, among others, to shape their unique sonic identity.

The Baltimore quintet – Mikayla Joseph, (vocals) Danny Gwinn, (guitar) Mac Dignam, (keys) John Menefee, (drums) and Chris Reynolds, (bass, vocals, harmonica) exudes an unbreakable bond of chemistry and musicianship, fortified through many years of friendship.

As Mallow Hill embarked on their debut album in 2023, their evolution in the music scene became palpable, bringing a fresh, distinctive sound to life, captivating audiences with both live performances and studio recordings. Guided by the soulful vocal stylings of Mikayla Joseph and the adept guitar work of Danny Gwinn, Mallow Hill is forging a vibrant and expanding fanbase in Baltimore and Beyond.

Mallow Hill is a name borrowed from a street in Baltimore that pays homage to the groups roots and origin story. The street “Mallow Hill” has always served a purpose as a “headquarters” for music creation and collaboration, with an “open door” policy that has been established by band leader and founder, Danny Gwinn. It was this framework that led to Gwinn’s introduction to Mikayla in May, 2020, which progressively emerged to become the band that is Mallow Hill.

Since meeting, Gwinn & Mikayla’s shared goals and artistic vision has given the group a more defined direction to their creativity and original music. The two being heavily influenced by blues and soul music from all decades, have found a way to combine elements of a vintage feel with a modern production. Alongside the help of producer, Dex Green (Margo Price, Elvis Costello, Devon Gilfillian), the debut record “Soul Candy” offers a wide range of listening experiences.

Among the album’s highlights is “Thinkin Bout My Baby,” featuring an assertive bass line and weaving a timeless narrative of personal growth amidst the tumult of toxic relationships, individuals, and habits. The resonant tones in the track “Smoke” deeply convey the song’s thematic essence, delving into the profound anguish and challenges faced by all parties entangled in the throes of substance abuse. In “Cryin” the contemporary blues production takes center stage, showcasing Mikayla’s soulful vocals alongside an electrifying, almost psychedelic guitar solo. Closing out the record, “Fake Your Smile” casts a brooding, almost sinister atmosphere that leaves you yearning for more.

The record features some of Nashville’s best session players, including Jack Lawrence on bass (The Raconteurs, Dead Weather, Jack White), Meg Coleman on drums (Alison Russell, Brandi Carlisle, Jenny Lewis), Ray Jacildo (The Black Keys), Laura Mayo (backup vocals), Maureen Murphy (Zac Brown Band, Marcus King). Engineered by Joe Costa (Ben Folds) and produced by Dex Green.

Gwinn and Joseph were fortunate to have found their calling early on, allowing them to develop their skills and talents with their respective instruments. Building this foundation has shaped their musical journeys and influenced the direction of their careers.

Mikayla – “I can play/strum a couple of chords on guitar and piano, but I am a singer through and through. I have always been naturally drawn to music and singing since I was a kid. However, I do have to credit my grandmother for throwing me on stage at a young age. Because of her, I’ve never really suffered from any stage fright. Performing feels super natural for me, like I’ve always been meant to do it. So after I started, I never looked back. Like many singers, I learned a lot in churches and choirs, then I went on to an arts high school to further that experience. I spent years in several choirs, musical theater, and eventually went on to take private classical lessons. One thing I was never taught how to do was sing the blues but here I am, loving every minute of it. I feel so lucky to have had my grandmother, countless instructors, teachers, and friends that are all a part of my journey and made me the musician that I am today!”

Danny – “I first picked up a guitar in 6th grade. It was some dusty piece of junk that someone left behind in a house that my grandmother was selling. My grandmother, being a musician herself, promptly brought the guitar to me and just sort of left it in my eyesight. It was only a matter of days until I was banging on it, trying to learn chords and make sounds. Soon after, I began taking guitar lessons from my neighbor who studied at Berkeley. He was a huge influence to me learning how to play and also for me, just observing what a lifetime of honing a craft can become to someone. Since those first guitar lessons, I have been hooked on the idea of always becoming a better guitar player one day at a time, but also always trying to create something with the tools that I have in front of me.”

“As I entered high school and beyond, I built-out a jam space first in my parents garage, and then in the basement. I took the advice of my first guitar teacher, Craig, who told me “You build it and they will come” referring to a rehearsal space. That has pretty much been my motto for everything that I do now. It took about 15 years for things to start coming together, but eventually things did happen, and I credit that mindset to the formation of Mallow Hill.”

On the heels of the mid-90’s ska revival, The Players Band (TPB) was founded in 1999, drawn in by the infectious rhythms and horn-heavy ska sounds originating in Jamaica in the late 1950s. 25 years later, TPB has played over 550 shows, delivering sweet Jamaican ska and reggae across the Mid-Atlantic. TPB includes current members of The Pietasters, Jah Works, Bumpin Uglies, Scotch Bonnets, Rude Girl Revue, Loving Paupers, Left Alone, and The All Mighty Senators. The band has opened for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Isley Brothers and Joe Strummer, Grammy winning Toots & the Maytals and Rebirth Brass Band as well as The B-52s, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The English Beat, The Skatalites, and more. TPB was featured at the 2021 Supernova International Ska Festival, headlined Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular, and Maryland’s Olympic Tribute with Michael Phelps at Fort McHenry, performing at venues such as 9:30 Club, Capital One Arena, Fillmore Silver Spring, Pier 6, Knitting Factory, Trocadero Theatre, Chance Theater, Seacrets, Bottle & Cork, Rams Head Live!, 8×10, Ottobar, and many others.