TOM KEIFER, QUEENSRŸCHE, BUCKCHERRY And WHITE LION Set For 2026 Edition Of M3 ROCK FESTIVAL

CINDERELLA's Tom Keifer and QUEENSRŸCHE will be the headliners of the 2026 edition of the M3 Rock Festival, set to take place May 2, 2026 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Also scheduled to appear are BUCKCHERRY, WHITE LION, BARRY GOUDREAU'S ENGINE ROOM, FASTER PUSSYCAT, TRIXTER and more.

The VIP kickoff party will take place on Friday, May 1 with QUIET RIOT (Friday, May 1) and the VIP afterparty will happen on Saturday, May 2. Both events will be held at the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel.

Tickets and VIP packages go on sale on Friday, December 12 at 10 a.m. EST.

Over the past 17 years, M3 has become more than a festival; it's an '80s arena rock experience. Drawing diehard fans from six continents, 30 countries, and every state, M3 has evolved into an annual pilgrimage for those who grew up with '80s rock (a genre of music now referred to as the "new classic rock") as well as for younger fans who embrace the fun and excitement of the glam metal era.

M3 Rock Festival has become an annual pilgrimage for fans of 1980s rock, with up to 15,000 fans attending the event.

"We have people come from all over the world," director of operations Brad Canfield told WTOP in a 2021 interview. "We've had people from Australia, a lot from Europe. It's the one place where if you're into '80s hair metal, you can see all these bands perform in one location."

He added: "It's definitely a multigenerational event where parents, even grandparents, come to the festival and bring their kids. Their kids have listened to it in their parents' car and get excited about the music and come, so we are noticing a new generation of fans that are younger and younger that have grown to appreciate this music."