Springsteen headlines inaugural "Power to the People" protest festival in Maryland

Springsteen's headlining set and on-stage message

Bruce Springsteen headlined the inaugural "Power to the People" festival at Columbia, Maryland's Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, using his set to denounce U.S. government actions and urge civic engagement. The Boss opened with "Streets of Minneapolis," a song written in response to the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents, telling the sold-out crowd that "the power and solidarity of the people of Minneapolis, of Minnesota, is an inspiration to the entire country." He added that Minnesotans' "strength and their commitment told us that this is still America, and this will not stand."

Festival lineup and political collaborations

The festival was organized by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and billed itself as a celebration of "peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action." Performers joined in coordinated protest numbers: folk icon Joan Baez joined Springsteen for a duet of Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom," and Springsteen, Morello, Dave Matthews and Nathaniel Rateliff combined for Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son." According to reporting from the festival, proceeds from ticket sales were directed in part to the voter-engagement organizations VoteRiders and HeadCount.

Crowd, on-site activism and merchandise

Attendees wore shirts bearing political slogans including "Immigrants Make America Great," "No Kings," "No one is illegal on stolen land" and "Bring on the Matriarchy." Across the festival grounds, organizers erected a "Freedom Village" where attendees could engage with nonprofits including the ACLU, Farm Aid, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Oxfam. The festival's voter-turnout focus was reinforced by its beneficiary organizations and the political messaging woven into both the performances and the audience's attire.

Origins tied to broader America 250 disputes

"Power to the People" was revealed in May, around the time a separate roster of musical guests withdrew from "The Great American State Fair," an event tied to celebrations of America's 250th anniversary. The festival's launch was framed in coverage as part of a broader split among musicians over whether to participate in officially sanctioned patriotic events, positioning "Power to the People" as an artist-organized alternative ahead of the midterm cycle.