“M3 Rock Festival is taking a break in 2027”
M3 Rock Festival, a weekend-long hard rock and glam metal jaunt in Maryland, is not taking place next year. Festival organizers released a statement breaking the news to fans, with the promise that the show would return in the future. The festival celebrated its 17th installment last year with headliners Tom Keifer and Queensrÿche.
“M3 Rock Festival is taking a break in 2027, but don’t worry—we’ll be back to rock Merriweather Post Pavilion again! Stay tuned for updates, news, and some of our favorite memories from 18 incredible years of M3! Keep rockin’ and we’ll see you soon!”
Since its inception in 2009, the annual M3 Rock Festival has become one of America’s premier celebrations of classic hard rock, glam metal, and the arena rock anthems of the 1980s. Held at the historic Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, the festival has attracted thousands of devoted rock fans from across the United States and around the world, bringing together some of the biggest names in rock and heavy metal for unforgettable performances. Over the years, M3 has featured an impressive roster of legendary artists, including Scorpions, Twisted Sister, Ratt, Cinderella, David Lee Roth, Vince Neil, Ace Frehley, Sebastian Bach, Queensrÿche, Tesla, Extreme, Europe, Styx, Night Ranger, Skid Row, Dokken, Warrant, KIX, Quiet Riot, Lita Ford, Bret Michaels, and many more.
Originally launched as a one-day event, M3 eventually expanded into a multi-day festival, developing a reputation for nostalgic performances, rare reunions, and appearances by some of the genre’s most recognizable musicians. The festival has also become particularly significant for Maryland’s own KIX, who performed at numerous editions and helped establish M3 as a destination for longtime fans of the genre. Celebrating its 17th edition in 2026 with performances by Cinderella frontman Tom Keifer, Queensrÿche, Buckcherry, White Lion, and Faster Pussycat, M3 continues to preserve the spirit of rock’s golden era while introducing its music to new generations of fans.