Main Stage Entertainment 2026
Xfinity Main Stage Line-Up for 2026!
We couldn’t put this festival together without the support of our many sponsors including our Presenting Sponsor, Mohegan Sun Online Casino, and Xfinity our Main Stage sponsor.
Norwalk Oyster Festival Chairman Mike Reilly says it best: "The Norwalk Oyster Festival has always been about world-class music — free with admission — and great community. This year we're bringing incredible variety, from country to rock and roll, with talent coming in from Nashville. Our volunteers have worked incredibly hard to make the 48th a special one, because we know this festival is a tradition for so many people near and far. We can't wait to celebrate with you."
Friday, September 11th – Lita Ford
8:00 PM: Lita Ford kicks off the 48th annual festival with her signature blend of glam and heavy metal. She is a British-born American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who earned the title "Queen of Heavy Metal" as a trailblazer for women in hard rock. She first rose to fame at age 16 as the lead guitarist for the pioneering 1970s all-female rock band The Runaways before launching a highly successful solo career in the 1980s.
Her commercial breakthrough came with her 1988 platinum album Lita, which spawned the hit anthem "Kiss Me Deadly" and the top-10 powerhouse duet "Close My Eyes Forever" with Ozzy Osbourne. After a hiatus to raise her family, Ford returned to releasing music, published her memoir Living Like a Runaway in 2016, and continues to tour as a legendary rock icon.
Opener 6:30 PM: Connecticut's fresh new home grown original rising hard rock powerhouse, Love+War, is bringing arena-sized energy back to rock and roll.
Forged from passion, grit, and an unwavering belief that great songs never go out of style, Love+War delivers the kind of high-octane performance that turns first-time listeners into lifelong fans. Blending crushing guitar riffs, unforgettable hooks, thunderous rhythms, and powerhouse vocals, the band captures the spirit of classic hard rock while forging a sound that's fresh, fearless, and unmistakably their own.
Fronted by the commanding vocals of Danny Mariano, alongside the blazing twin-guitar attack of Ralph Guzzi and Ed Adams, the driving bass lines of Pete Ruello, and the explosive drumming of Nick Carvalho, Love+War is built to ignite every stage they step onto.
This isn't just another band. This is LOVE+WAR. Turn it up... raise your fists... and don't stop rockin'!
Saturday, September 12th – Parmalee
8:30 PM: Headlining this year’s festival is Parmalee, named the most-played group on Country Radio in both 2022 and 2023. With five #1 singles, multiple platinum records, and over a billion on-demand streams, Parmalee is bringing their Carolina swagger and chart-topping hits on Saturday night, September 12th.
Comprised of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas, cousin Barry Knox, and lifelong friend Josh McSwain, Parmalee continues to redefine what country music can be—infusing their sound with a variety of influences that set them apart in the genre. When they hit the
Xfinity Main Stage, expect nothing less than a toe tapping, hit-packed set featuring fan-favorite anthems like “Close Your Eyes,” “Carolina,” “Already Callin’ You Mine,” “Musta Had a Good Time,” “Girl in Mine,” and their latest release, “Cowgirl,” from the April, 2025 album Fell in Love with a Cowgirl. With a commanding stage presence, Parmalee doesn’t just perform. They have fun onstage while connecting with fans. As Matt Thomas says,
“We just hope people can sing along, smile and ride the roller coaster of emotions with us.”
The Moonrise Cartel
2nd Opener 7:00 PM:
The Moonrise Cartel is an original American Folk Rock band blending folk, indie rock, and Americana with a touch of gospel. The band features soaring harmonies, introspective lyrics, and a vintage sound profile balanced with a modern touch — equal parts timeless, and for the time. Their rapidly growing fanbase (known as Cartel Members) now coins their music “Folk Rock from Black Rock.”
1st Opener 6:00 PM:
From coffee shops to stadiums, New England native
Rachel Casson has been a storytelling musician since the age of 13 when she first picked up her guitar. Opening for artists
such as Brett Young, Mike Posner and Parmalee, Rachel is now heading to Nashville full-time to attend Belmont University and continue her journey as one of Nashville's most promising young artist/songwriters.
Sunday, September 13th – JUMP: America's Van Halen Experience
4:00 PM: After performing sold out shows across multiple different states and being recruited for international tours in Canada and Australia, JUMP: America's Van Halen Experience has positioned themselves as one of the top up and coming Van Halen tributes on the planet. We are thrilled they are closing out the festival for 2026.
Delivering two hours of classic
David Lee Roth era
Van Halen, the Toledo, Ohio based band lineup is composed of a group of youngsters all born in the mid-late 90’s and early 2000’s. While their age offers a visual aesthetic true to Van Halen in their prime, their sound also reflects the same shredding Eddie guitar solos, rock solid rhythm section, and the whaling two-tone screams reminiscent of David Lee Roth’s voice. Featuring a variety of hits and deep cuts off of the first 6 albums, JUMP’s live show includes a selection of skits and one liners portrayed by
Van Halen from bootlegs of their live shows between 1978-1984.
Countdown to the 48th Annual Oyster Festival
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