Showcation is onto something special. The 3rd year festival, based in Ramblewood, Maryland, is taking a different approach to Music Festivals. Rather than the traditional format of just music throughout the day, Showcation showcases activities at the forefront of the festival. The adults-only summer camp-meets-music festival welcomed more than 1,000 campers from across the country for three days of live music, Y2K and Hollywood themed parties, camp olympics, comedy, and nonstop surprises.

Musically, Showcation delivered a lineup with more than 40% female and nonbinary representation, spotlighting a diverse mix of talent including Baauer, Mayv, Daniel Allan, UNIIQU3, Chanpan, Boys Go To Jupiter, Beatbox House, and more. Saturday night headliner Baauer premiered unreleased tracks from his forthcoming album while keeping the crowd on edge with a series of fake-out “Harlem Shake” teases woven throughout his set.

My favorite set of the weekend came from Daniel Allan. He blended his signature sound of emotionally driven songs into ripping house and UK garage. Daniel did a superb job of showcasing euphoric moments with bass-heavy tracks, leaving everyone happy at the end of the night.

The Grounds

Ramblewood might just be the perfect place for a music festival. Nestled deep in the woods of Maryland, it is purpose-built for a music festival experience. The campground’s sprawling forest landscape, open-air stages, and cabin-filled grounds create an immersive environment where attendees can fully disconnect from reality and settle into a temporary creative community. Unlike massive festival sites that can feel overwhelming or corporate, Ramblewood strikes a balance between intimacy and scale. It allows fans to naturally wander among music, camping, activities, and late-night adventures.

The Summer Camp Activities

Throughout the weekend, attendees participated in more than 20 daytime activities, including dodgeball, canoeing, arts & crafts, kickball, and a Nintendo 64 Mario Kart tournament. They competed as part of one of four camp teams: Fluffernutter, Laserface, Ramblesquawk, and Snugglebug. This year’s Camp Olympics expanded significantly with the addition of a newly constructed spectatorstadium. Hundreds gathered daily to watch competitions unfold. Sunday’s championship finale concluded with Ramblesquawk defeating reigning champions Snugglebug to claim the title of 2026 Camp Olympics winners.

One of my favorite moments during the fest was Friday night’s Project X House Party. Showcation transformed a three-story house on the campgrounds into a full-scale immersive party experience featuring five themed rooms, surprise performances from Super Future and Daniel Allan, flash tattoos, beer pong, and classic keg stands. It felt like I was back in college in the best way possible. I never thought I would get the feeling of frat house nostalgia after leaving school, but showcation had me smiling from ear to ear right when I walked through the door.

There were almost too many activities to choose from with a Wet Hot American Summer-themed pool party featuring an upgraded stage and giant slip-and-slide; secret speakeasies, late-night tea tents, cereal bars, cabin parties, and surprise after-hours programming created organically by campers throughout the weekend.

Comedy and The Afterparties

One of my favorite activities was the stand-up comedy on Saturday night. Sean Millea had me laughing hysterically, and his crowd work was spot on. He knew exactly the festival crowd he was performing to. Charlene Kaye’s was awesome too, packing out the camp barn with her extremly unique musical comedy. Charlene is one of the most talented people I have watched perform.

I had the pleasure of playing with the Jellyfish Collective. The NY-based group produced an incredible after-party in an underwater tent setting filled with lasers, smoke, and late-night izakaya dining. It was the highlight of my experience at Showcation.

I can’t wait to return to Showcation next year to see what they have in store for us. They are primed to keep getting bigger and showcasing Summer Camp for adults at its finest.

Following this year’s event, Showcation launched loyalty sales for returning campers, with 35% of attendees already locking in passes for 2027 before the public presale had even opened.

Public presale is now available via Showcation’s website.