# ZAOstock

ZAOstock is The ZAO's flagship in-real-life music festival: a free, community-built outdoor showcase for independent artists in Ellsworth, Maine. It is where a network that mostly builds online shows up in person.

## 2026 - the first one, held October 3

- **Date:** Saturday, October 3, 2026, noon to 6 PM
- **Venue:** Franklin Street Parklet, downtown Ellsworth, Maine. Franklin Street was closed to traffic and opened up for the day.
- **Admission:** free, all ages
- **Format:** one stage, all day. Seven independent acts played back to back, with the MC and partners between sets. The after-party ran at Black Moon next door.
- **Official status:** part of the 9th Annual Art of Ellsworth during Maine Craft Weekend.
- **Partners:** Heart of Ellsworth (venue) and Star 97.7 (local radio).
- **Visual art:** posters, signage, photography and on-site visuals were built collaboratively with the ZAO community and local makers.

## The 2026 lineup, in running order

1. The Crown Vics
2. OPEN X
3. Grass Rug
4. Michael Anderson
5. DCoop
6. LyonsDen Rez Muzik
7. Tom Fellenz

Each act has its own page with a bio and photo at https://zaostock.com/artists. The day was livestreamed.

## What it is

ZAOstock is the flagship live moment for The ZAO (ZTalent Artist Organization), a decentralized impact network that returns profit, data, and rights to artists. The festival takes that idea off the internet and puts it on one stage for a day: independent musicians, an open street in downtown Ellsworth, and a town that every car heading to Acadia passes through.

It is music-first and community-run. Admission was free; the optional pro ticket, sponsorship, and volunteering are how it was paid for and staffed.

## In the ZAO ecosystem

ZAOstock is produced by ZAO Festivals, the events arm of The ZAO, and sits under that umbrella alongside COC Concertz. It is the annual anchor that ties the online network - The ZAO, WaveWarZ, ZABAL Gamez - to a real place on a real date.

## Find it

- Festival site: https://zaostock.com (program, artists, media, press)

## Related

The ZAO, ZAO Festivals, WaveWarZ, COC Concertz, BetterCallZaal.