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ZAOstock

Free to attend

Come for nothing. Chip in if you can.

ZAOstock is free to attend, all day, in downtown Ellsworth on Oct 3, 2026. There is no gate and no wristband to buy. RSVP so we know roughly how many people to plan for. Rain or shine, under tent cover.

Free · RSVP

What most people want

Hold a spot

Free, and it takes a moment. It is not a ticket you have to show at the door, because there is no door. It tells us how much water, seating and shelter to plan for.

RSVP free

Optional

Not required

Nothing else to buy

Neither paid tier gets you a better spot, an earlier entry or a different view. Both are ways to fund the day, not ways to buy a better one.

Chip in

Two ways to pay for a day that costs nothing to attend.

Still free at the gate. This is patronage, not admission: it covers artist fees, materials and production for a festival that charges nobody to turn up.

$20

Supporter

The straightforward one. It pays for the day and puts your name on it.

  • Supports the festival: artist fees, materials, production costs.
  • Credited as a supporter on the festival page.
Chip in $20
$50

20 spots

Pro Ticket

The same, plus time with the people building it.

  • Supports the festival: artist fees, materials, production costs.
  • Credited as a supporter on the festival page.
  • A 1:1 with someone on the ZAO team before the event.
Chip in $50

Round 1 goal: $1,000, counting every supporter at either tier. After taking the Pro Ticket, email info@thezao.com so we can schedule your 1:1.

Straight answers

What a ticket does and does not get you.

The festival runs at break-even. Nothing here buys access, because access is free.

Admission
Free to attend. No ticket is checked at the parklet.
Do I need the RSVP
No. It helps us plan numbers, that is all. Turn up either way.
Does paying get me in earlier
No. Neither tier changes anything about the day. The higher one adds a 1:1 with the team before the event; both credit you as a supporter.
What is the difference between them
Only the 1:1. Both support the festival and both credit you by name.
Other ways to give
PayPal for fiat or Giveth for crypto, at /donate.
Questions
info@thezao.com

The day

When
Oct 3, 2026, music from Noon
Where
Franklin Street Parklet
Evening
Black Moon, next door
Weather
Rain or shine, under tent cover.