For Musicians
Made music nobody is paying you to make? You are who we built this for.
ZAOstock was a one-day outdoor festival in Ellsworth, Maine on Oct 3, 2026. Every artist on stage was discovered through The ZAO, a community of 100+ independent musicians who actually support each other's work.
The facts
What is settled, and what is not.
- Date
- Saturday, October 3, 2026, music from noon
- Where
- Franklin Street Parklet, Ellsworth, Maine; Black Moon Public House next door from six
- Soundcheck
- Saturday 3 October, 9:30 AM to noon, artists only
- Set length
- 33 or 40 minutes in 2026, set by the running order
- 2026 bill
- 7 acts were on the bill. Tell us about your music for the next ZAO Festivals event
- ZAOstock 2027
- Saturday, September 18, 2027. Place to be announced.
- Pay
- Not pay-to-play. Independent and ZAO-vetted only
What artists got
In 2026
- 01A real stage in front of a real audience, on Franklin Street and on the livestream.
- 02A recording of the set and photos from the day, for the recap.
- 03A direct line into the ZAO music community - 100+ people who already care about independent artists.
What we asked
In return
- 01A set window: 33 or 40 minutes, set by the running order.
- 02Standard technical rider - we will work with what you need.
- 03Soundcheck was Saturday 3 October, 9:30 AM to noon - be there by 11 AM at the latest.
- 04Help share when we posted the slot. We did the heavy lift on socials, the artist amplified.
Stay in touch
Pick a door.
Independent and ZAO-vetted only. This is not a pay-to-play festival.
Questions: info@thezao.com. ZAOstock was one chapter in the ZAO Festivals series: ZAO-PALOOZA, ZAO-CHELLA, ZAOville.